Save Me
by winchesterunited
Summary: With Bobby Singer by her side for as long as she could remember, Ariel Rory Singer was able to take on the hunter lifestyle, which ultimately forced her to cross paths with Sam and Dean Winchester along the way, not at all aware of the role she was destined to play in their lives, or the roles they were destined to play in hers. Follow Rory on her journey (Horrible with summaries!)
1. Save Me

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 _ **Stanford University**_

 _ **Stanford, CA**_

 _ **October 31st, 2005**_

Rory held the wheel comfortably, in her usual fashion with her left hand at twelve, while the right lay relatively free on top the gear. Her greyish blue hues darkened as the night rang in, and flickered carelessly onto the digital clock displayed on the radio of her 2005 Ford Mustang GT. Her lips pursed as she read the time.

 **1:23AM.**

She debated for what might've been the fifteenth time, whether or not what she was doing was appropriate or even the least bit necessary. Her head shook as she argued with herself mentally, her fingers tapping the wheel impatiently.

"Dammit…" She uttered under her breath, eyes darting every which way, realizing that she was coming upon her destination.

Daringly, she removed her hand from her gear, and moved it to retrieve her phone, which sat patiently in the cup holder near the glove compartment. She sighed seeing that no messages or calls had come through in all the time she'd been driving, which was going on five hours.

"Ass…" She muttered with a slight roll of her eyes, dropping the device without a care back into its place.

Placing both hands on the wheel, she decided to just-

"Relax Rory." She told herself, trying her best to believe in her words as she slowed her speed of forty-three mph down to forty. She knew the location would be coming up somewhere on her left hand side, and had to keep a good lookout.

Eventually, she was able to welcome the calm that came along with the music she'd decided to play halfway into her trip since the silence was slowly deafening her. It hadn't done much to help calm her nerves until now, and though it was nothing compared to her usual remedy that involved many alcoholic beverages of any kind, preferably whisky, she'd take what she could get for now.

"In the shadows of the streetlight..." She sang along to one of her favorite songs. Her angelic like voice ringing true throughout the four passenger vehicle. Her head swayed in sync with the guitar solo and she shut her eyes momentarily as the relaxation coaxed her.

 ** _"JESUS, WHAT THE F-!"_** The sound of breaks screeching and burning rubber tires was loud enough to cut through the sound of her music off as she used both feet to stomp on the breaks in time, bringing the car to a skidding stop.

Her chest heaved with fright as her heart pounded against her rib cage. The emotion seemed to want to bubble up and explode in her chest but she fought against the feeling. Her hands glued tightly to the wheel, showcasing every dip and curve of every knuckle as she stared wide eyed at the person standing not even a foot away from the hood of her car. His hazel-green eyes also wide as he gawked with disbelief and fear through the windshield. He threw up his hands in question.

"What the hell are you, blind?!" He shouted out.

The shock seemed to slip off her shoulders as his voice registered in her mind causing her to loosen her grip on the wheel and roll her eyes. Clenching her jaw with frustration she put the car in reverse, parked it behind his and got out, slamming the door all too hard behind her.

"What the hell were you thinking running out into the middle of the road like that I could've killed you!" Rory matched, the heels of her boots clicking against the damp cement as she met him in the center or the road with nothing but a couple of streetlights to help guide her along. The smell of burnt rubber kissed the air around her, causing her to look behind her back at her most prized possession to make sure it's tires were okay. She sighed when she'd seen no damage had been done.

He followed her gaze, and rolled his eyes, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his worn leather jacket.

"Okay first of all, you're late. Second of all, I wasn't running. And third what the hell were you doing that you couldn't see me clearly walking by?!"

"I was **_driving_**!" Very much unlike them, they bickered, not at all bothering to keep the low profile they'd be known to keep for as long as they'd known each other.

"Oh that's what you call that? Good one." He returned with a deadpanned look.

"Okay we don't have time for this!" Rory exclaimed and held up a hand to shut down the argument. As much as she was dying to have him stick it where the sun don't shine, she knew that she'd have to refrain. There were more important things to deal with.

"You took too long, I was going in without you..."

Her gaze travelled over his shoulder and up at the rather tall apartment building. She counted every floor going up.

"Looks smaller in person…different." She thought aloud, analyzing every bit of its structure, for no particular reason. She just wanted to understand what was so…fancy about this place. So far, she couldn't see it.

"Yeah. It's just oozing fancy around here." He responded with sarcasm, an underlying frustration in his tone as he too looked around before settling his gaze on her.

He didn't get the chance to fully appreciate her in his presence due to their arguing, but he'd decided to steal the chance now. He started from her boots. She stood tall at 5'6 in black combats that he would always remember her for. And worked his way up her athletic and well-toned legs sporting a pair of black denim that hugged every dip and curve of her waist right up until he was met by the loose, flowing grey shirt hidden just underneath her black, fitted leather jacket. He could appreciate the outfit and her sense of style along with the fact that nothing about her had really changed. He was thankful for that. He was worried in the six months they'd been apart from each other that something about her would've changed, that something would've been ruined about her. He resumed, from what he could see of her neck, shamelessly covered by her shoulder length, thick, wavy tresses until he landed on his favorite part about her, her face. Welcomed by her perfectly structured side profile, he allowed his eyes to dance along her distinct bone structure and travel down the straight bridge of her nose, along her puckered lips and back up to her squinted grey blue eyes and thinly plucked eyebrows. He noticed that she was slightly made up, and the thought made him frown. He hated whenever she chose to wear makeup. She had a natural glow about her, one he couldn't imagine her without, one he didn't ever want her to hide. It was so angelic, heavenly almost.

Gorgeous.

She squinted and shook her head.

"…I don't see it." She cast her gave over to him, catching his stare, earning a dazzling smirk in return. She prayed the blood wouldn't rush under her cheeks, but as his lips spread even wider, she knew they'd betrayed her.

"Staying out, or coming in?" He questioned, about ready to put their plan into action. Rory pursed her lips, flicking her gaze back to the building, debating internally with herself.

"Hmm…" She reached up to tap her chin.

"I think I'll let you handle this one." She answered, thinking it was best if immediate family handled this situation before she stepped in.

"You sure?" He tipped his brow, not really expecting her to say no. He was hoping she'd come along to help dilute the situation should anyone need to. Rory knew how to talk to people, she had a way about her that helped calm what felt like the most stubborn men. He couldn't deny the fact that sometimes, he could be one of those men.

She reached up to pat his shoulder, evoking the encouragement he needed to carry on with the plan without her.

"You'll be fine." He began to walk off, but she pulled at his shoulder.

"Just-…" He paused, looking her in the eyes expectantly.

"No fighting Dean. Get in, explain, and get out. That's the plan. He might have a roomie or somethin' you don't wanna freak them out too." She warned with hard eyes, knowing fully well the kind of person he was.

"Ah come on Angel, you know I always stick to the plan." He winked, making use of the nickname he'd given her years ago while offering up his classic boyish grin. Rory dropped her shoulders at his response and mentally slapped a hand to her forehead. Her eyes dancing around her surroundings as she kept a good lookout.

She knew she'd have to standby. It was only a matter of time before a gunshot went off in there. Dean had managed to sneak his way up the fire escape and threw the window in record time. She was impressed. He hadn't lost his touch at all it seemed. He was still the Dean Winchester she remembered. Which meant-

"He's not gonna stick to the plan." She sighed, dropping her chin into her chest with a slight shake as she walked towards her car to lean against the driver's door and wait patiently for Dean to screw up.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

1\. "Outside" - TOPS

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 **Really hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'm having so much fun writing this! Please leave your love! I'd love to hear what y'all have to say! Stay tuned for the next chapter! I'm gonna try and get out as much as I can today!**

 **Much love!**

 **Harley.**


	2. First Thing's First

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **First Thing's First**

 **Stanford University**

 **Stanford, CA**

 **October 31st, 2005**

Dean was swift with every movement. Sure to be quiet and light on his toes as he sneaked through the apartment. Getting in was a lot easier than he wanted it to be, and he found himself frustrated with the fact that Sam had carelessly made it that way for not only himself, but anyone else trying to get in.

 _How could he be so careless?_ He thought to himself, oblivious to the shadow lurking behind other wall, well aware of his unauthorized entry. All it took was one creak in the floor for Dean to sharpen, and as the body lunged forward and grabbed him by the shoulder, Dean was quick enough to knock it away before adding a strike of his own that his attacker was ready for.

They sparred for a little longer before they'd carried into another part of the apartment, giving Dean enough light to see that it was Sam he'd been fighting all along, and vice versa. Feeling it was well earned, he decided to take a cheap jab at his face using his elbow. The sting was painful for only a moment, knowing it could've been a lot worse coming from his older brother.

Having had enough, Dean knocked him flat on his ass, pinning him to the floor with one hand at his younger brothers neck and the other at his wrist.

"Whoa, easy, tiger." He strained against Sam's strength.

"Dean?!" The younger Winchester exclaimed earning a soft chuckle from Dean. He felt him relax under his grip, seeing that there was no actual threat. Though he would beg to differ.

"You scared the crap out of me!" Sam breathed trying to shake away from the adrenaline.

"That's 'cause you're out of practice." Dean returned smartly.

Not taking the comment lightly, Sam managed to escape the hold Dean had on him and flipped them over, making him the dominate one this time. Dean took a moment to register what had just happened.

"…Or not." He uttered.

* * *

Rory's gaze never left the window belonging to Sam apartment. It had been just under ten minutes and she was beginning to grow antsy. Her foot tapped lightly on the ground, the silence of the night putting her on edge as she waited with arms crossed over her chest.

* * *

"Get off of me." Dean strained under Sam's weight. He was no feather.

Sam finally let up, pulling himself and his brother up to their feet.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, over the formalities.

"Well, I was looking for a beer." Dean replied, resting a hand on his shoulder before slipping it off. By the look on Sam's face, he clearly wasn't buying it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He tried again, with a little more force in his tone.

"Okay. All right. We gotta talk."

"Uh, the phone?"

"If I'd'a called, would you have picked up?"

"Rory's call, maybe. Yours?..." He didn't get the chance to finish answering. The lights were switched on, and in walked a young blonde, too beautiful for words in barely any clothes.

"Sam?" She called out, worry in her tone causing both the men to turn their heads.

"Jess. Hey. Dean, this is my girlfriend, Jessica." Sam introduced, going to her side. Dean took the moment to appreciate her in her skin. She was beautiful, undeniably so, but nothing like-

"Wait, your brother Dean?" Jess spoke, cutting off his thoughts. She smiled as Sam nodded yes. Dean couldn't resist the dimple in her cheeks, and found himself moving closer, searching for something about her that he could turn into conversation.

"Oh, I love the Smurfs." He started, earning a look from Sam.

"You know, I gotta tell you. You are completely out of my brother's league." Dean continued foolishly. Sam began to wonder where the hell Rory was in that moment, and why she'd let Dean off his leash.

* * *

Rory scrolled down her contacts list in her phone, coming to a stop at Bobby's name. Her breath left in a sigh. She hoped he was doing okay, and knew she'd have to call as soon as she got the chance to let him know that she was safe and with the boys. She continued to scroll down, stopping at John's name, and stared at it with agitation.

* * *

"…Just let me put something on." Jess spoke with an uneasy tone, shying away from Dean's eyes. As she turned to go the sound of his voice stopped her.

"No, no, no, I wouldn't dream of it. Seriously." He said as he stepped over to Sam while keeping lingering eyes on her. Sam glared.

"Anyway, I gotta borrow your boyfriend here, talk about some private family business." The eldest Winchester spoke.

"But, uh, nice meeting you." He dismissed.

"No." Sam answered walking over to his girlfriend to place his arm around her.

"No, whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of her." He spoke sensing his girl's uneasiness about his out of the blue older brother.

"Okay." Dean spoke, unsure of where this was going as he looked onto both of them.

"Um. Dad hasn't been home in a few days." He started, trying to speak in a way that he could still speak to the both of them, but only have Sam convey the message.

"So he's working overtime on a Miller Time shift. He'll stumble back in sooner or later."

Dean dropped his head before looking back up to try again.

 _Once more with feeling_ , he thought.

"Dad's on a hunting trip. And he hasn't been home in a few days."

Sam did his best to remain expressionless, while his girlfriend glanced up at him.

"Jess, excuse us. We have to go outside."

* * *

 **Hey y'all! So no soundtrack for this chapter, but you can expect some in the near future with adds that have more to do with my OC's story line. I'm doing my best not to incorporate every minor detail from the actual show, I don't own any of the original plot as expressed in the beginning of this chapter! Just in case you forgot! :) I have however, tried to add my own twist to the plot so that I can better add in my OC. Hope that's okay with y'all!**

 **Leave your love! More on the way!**


	3. We Need Your Help

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC**

* * *

 **Stanford University**

 **Stanford, CA**

 **October 31st 2005**

* * *

Rory could hear them coming, from some unknown distance. She didn't know the building well, so it was hard to pinpoint where any noise was coming from, but she did her best to pay close attention, like she was trained to whenever in unfamiliar surroundings. Somehow she had found herself leaned up against the impala instead of her own car. Out of pure boredom, she thought she'd snoop around. She even considered picking the lock and breaking in just to brush up on some skills she hadn't used in a while, but she knew Dean would have her head.

 _"…_ _I was nine years old! He was supposed to say, don't be afraid of the dark_!" Rory's ears perked up at the faint sound of Sam's voice.

 _"Don't be afraid of the dark?! Are you kidding me?! Of course you should be afraid of the dark. You know what's out there!"_ She rolled her eyes at the harshness of Dean's tone, knowing it'd do anything but help diffuse the situation.

She pushed off the car and made to walk towards the obvious argument he and his brother were having, but thought against it. She knew better than to intervene while they were verbally assaulting each other. Her heart fought against it however, but it was best for her to stay out of it for now.

They'd figure out how to be cordial sooner or later.

It went quiet for but a moment before a door slammed open. Rory looked around everywhere, eyes finally landing on the ascending bodies as they walked themselves up the short flight of steps, joining her out in the parking lot.

"The weapon training, and melting the silver into bullets? Man, Dean, we were raised like warriors." Sam continued on, earning a head shake from Rory.

She just wished this life wasn't so heavy on their hearts, wished she could take the pain away from them.

"Was beginning to think you forgot about me." She smirked trying to lighten the mood. They were together, all three of them, in one piece and safe. She couldn't ask for anything else in that moment. This right now was all that mattered. Sam's eyes caught hers once he heard her voice, too caught up in his conversation with Dean to notice her presence posted against the impala.

"Highly unlikely, Angel." Acknowledged Dean, a hint of a smirk settling on his lips. At least he could count on Rory to keep things light between everyone. It was a part of the reason why he'd called for her help in the first place. He knew he'd made the right call, because even after six months of no contact, here she was ready to help.

Sam swept her up into a warm embrace once he'd reached her, and Rory didn't hesitate to reciprocate the love. It had been too long since they'd last spoken. Sure she'd reached out to him, for two years since he'd left his family at twenty, but Sam was strict in his decision to pull away from the family and its business.

"Sammy." She grinned brightly for the twenty-two year old once he'd released her. She held him by the shoulders, looking him over for anything different. He'd definitely changed physically, his build a lot taller and bulkier than she remembered. The Sammy she remembered was nothing like the Sammy in front of her now.

"Look at you huh? My, my." She squeezed his biceps purposely, to emphasize the improvement of his physique. He chuckled with embarrassment, his cheeks flushing as she let him go and passed a gentle hand down the side of his face, evoking a calm within him.

"Not the Sam you and Dean used to pick on?"

"More like the Sam I'm gonna have to lineup just to talk to." She winked, earning an eye roll from Dean. If there was one thing he wished he and Rory didn't have in common, it was their charm.

"It's good to finally lay some eyes on you." She spoke with ease. Sam nodded in agreement, not able to admit how much he'd actually missed his family, including Dean. No matter how annoying he was being.

"You too." He responded softly.

"So what are you gonna do? You're just gonna live some normal, apple pie life? Is that it?" Dean resumed, cutting the sweet moment short, earning an eye roll from Rory.

 _Is it so hard to just dial it back **a little**?_ She thought. Sam slacked, blinking back his frustration with his brother as he looked over to him.

"No. Not normal. Safe." Sam returned shortly.

"And that's why you ran away." Dean matched looking away when Sam didn't answer. Rory was about ready to kick his ass for blowing so low. But they did need to hash things out. So she guessed it was necessary in order for them to handle business.

"I was just going to college. It was Dad who said if I was gonna go I should stay gone...And that's what I'm doing." Sam said, conjuring up the memory fresh in Rory's mind. She could still remember the day that John had practically driven Sam out the door for good. It wasn't one she ever wanted imprinted in her mind. She hadn't even meant to be present that day. She wished every time she remembered that she'd forget it.

"Yeah, well, Dad's in real trouble right now. If he's not dead already. I can feel it." Dean's words snapped Rory right back into reality. She stared hard at his profile, able to identify every emotion swimming around in his eyes as she stood between the brothers.

"That's why we're here now Sammy." She spoke to the youngest flashing her eyes up at him. He met hers, slightly unable to match the emotion both her and Dean shared over John and his absence.

"…I can't do this alone." Dean admit. Rory knew it wasn't easy for him. Which meant this was as serious as it could've been. When he'd called her, he'd said the same thing. It was those words that had gotten her to drive all the way over from her last known location.

"Yes you can. And even if you couldn't, you have Rore." Sam returned, and Rory felt herself beginning to grow impatient. She'd do anything to get out of that place. It was too quiet.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to. No offense, Angel." Dean said. Rory rolled her eyes. She was sure by the end of the night, they'd be stuck behind her lids.

"None taken, Ass." She replied as Sam looked down in deep thought, and back up between them both. Rory knew he was in, there was no way he'd turn Dean down when he so obviously needed his help. He would've never traveled this far if it wasn't important. And if he did turn him down, there was no way he'd turn her down. She'd been nothing but good to him, had his back since the very first day they met.

"Oh you know you're in." She teased, hugging herself up against Dean's side, plastering a grin onto her lips. Sam sighed.

"…What was he hunting?" He gave in.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know." Sam glared at Rory as she sauntered off towards her car with a lingering smile on her lips. Dean watched his brother, relieved that he had the help he needed.

* * *

 **Hey y'all! Tell me what you thought about this one! Things will soon be uncovered, I promise! Leave your love!**

 **xo.**


	4. Back In Time

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC**

* * *

 **Woodlawn Cemetery**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **March 12** **th** **1993**

Bobby Singer, forty-one years old and worn, trudged throughout the cemetery after returning from the car, with weight in every step he took, he just wished it were over already. His mind walked him through the steps of a simple salt and burn as he stood came to a stop in front of the dug up grave and the open casket that lay down inside of it. He watched the bones of the vengeful spirit for a few moments, squinting as he did so. His mind then falling on Rufus, slipping into a frustration all over again. They'd had a falling out in Nebraska a little before this hunt that Bobby had originally intended on working on together, until they'd stopped talking, and he was left with no choice but to handle it alone. He shook his head as the image of an ignorant looking Rufus crossed his mind, causing him to huff and brush off the thought.

He didn't have time to fuss over the old hidjit. He had other things to think about, other hunters to help.

"Good riddance." He smarted, happy to be rid of one less supernatural creature in his town. Sure there were plenty more, but he had the time. And one less, was one less wrinkle on his forehead.

He lit the match with ease, and toss it carelessly into the grave watching as the flames birthed themselves and fed on the gasoline he'd poured prior to lighting the match.

" _Father…"_ His ears perked at the sound. A voice? In the near distance, belonging to what he assumed was a little girl. His hand instantly went to the gun hidden in the waistband of his worn jeans. His senses were on high alert as he looked around the cemetery. It was getting late, the moon rising higher in the sky as the sun set for the day. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and he couldn't see where the voice was coming from exactly.

 _"…_ _Father?"_ His head snapped to the left, and his eyes danced along the row of stones that poked up from the ground. It wasn't until then that he realized just how green the grass was, how…fresh flowers had graced the surface like he'd never seen before.

He'd serious never seen it before. Not in this cemetery, and there was no way they could've fully bloomed in the span of his last visit here. It was beautiful almost, but he couldn't erase the feeling behind the beauty.

 _How in the hell?_ He thought, his body gravitating towards the voice. His hand hovered over the gun on his waist, waiting for the perfect moment to use it.

 _"…_ _Father!"_ He heard again, much clearer than before, and found himself jogging towards her, in fear that she was in danger. She sounded young and defenseless, definitely unable to hold her own.

Bobby had skid to a stop, in the middle of the open field reserved for future tombstones he assumed, his gun out at the ready as he clicked the safety off. His eyes growing wild with disbelief and…more disbelief. A naked girl, no older than thirteen, sat lonely in the center of wildly green and fresh grass littered with fully bloomed flowers of all types surrounding her. He wasn't sure just what kind of supernatural being, or prank this was, but he wasn't about to sit through its entirety.

"Hands up! Or I'll blow your little adolescent brains out!" He threatened, maybe a little too harshly. The young girl hadn't moved, only stared directly at him, arms hugging her knees to her chest, as the grass shielded her exposed body from him. She squinted in curiosity, not at all laced with fear.

"…Father?" She asked, clearly unsure and discombobulated.

Bobby knew he couldn't shoot her. Not yet. He knew nothing, and it seemed that she knew nothing as well. So he put the safety back on, and slowly pocketed his weapon again.

"Father, I've been searching for you everywhere." She stood, exposing herself and Bobby hopped up and turned his neck away so quick he'd almost broken his neck. He covered his eyes with one hand and took a couple of clumsy steps back.

"Woah!...I'm…I'm gonna…I'm gonna head to the truck! See if I've got any extra clothes in there for you…" She didn't respond, at least not in a way that he could hear, and he took that as his cue to go. The awkwardness of this unlikely situation almost too much for him to bare.

A child, naked in the middle of a cemetery, at night? This had unlikely written all over it.

"Father, don't leave!" She yelled, bringing him to a stop. The shock of the word ringing through his entire body. He tensed up, keeping his back to her, trying to figure out what to say.

He cleared his throat.

"I uh…I won't…I promise…I'll uh…I'll be right back." He promised, and it made him question just who the hell he thought he was to make a promise like that to a total stranger, a child. It was so unlike him. On top of that he'd answered to the title of 'father' as if he were in fact hers. The closest he had to kids was Dean and Sam Winchester, and they were barely ever around. It seemed only whenever their father John needed a favor, which was almost always for him to watch them while he hunted.

"Just...stay here." He answered as he looked to his left slightly, not wanting to look over his shoulder.

 _What the hell is going on around here_? He thought to himself.

* * *

"...Do you have a name?" He asked eyeing the little girl with much curiosity as she walked uncomfortably alongside him. The clothes she borrowed falling over-sized and long over her body. All Bobby could find was a long sleeve shirt and a pair of dirty old track pants he'd slipped and feel in the dirt with a few weeks back. She wasn't sure how to respond to their make, or their odor, so she let them be without trying to adjust.

Her eyes analyzed him calmly, and he couldn't shake the feeling her gaze brought him. She was a pretty little kid, with piercing greyish blue eyes and long golden blond hair.

"You know me." She answered, not sure why he'd asked.

"I'm afraid I don't kid, and I hate to say it, but I'm not your father…" Bobby grimaced, and scratched the back of his neck as the nerves began to build. He was sure he'd never come across her ever, and he was positive that he was not in any way, biologically linked to her.

"…I am Ariel." She answered, her voice dry like she'd been screaming for hours. She grew saddened by the rejection in his words, and looked hard at him, as if she could see through him. And suddenly who she thought she knew, she couldn't identify. He was someone she too had never seen before today.

 _Where is father?_ She thought _._ The man in front of her, and place before her, becoming unrecognizable. She knew nothing about any of it.

"Alright Ariel. You got a last name?" He asked, wanting to get down to the bottom of things. If she was some lost ghost or vengeful spirit, he wanted to be rid of her already.

She didn't answer, only probed him with her piercing gaze as she tried to comprehend what he meant. Bobby sighed, feeling the agitation arise within him again. He just wanted this day to be over.

"It'd be a lot easier if you gave me a full name." He pressed as they reached the car. She turned her gaze onto the object before her, having never seen anything like it before. Her reflection was somehow able to stare her in the face, one she'd also never seen before. Her hand reached up to touch her face. It was as soft as she knew it to be by touch. Her eyes began to water with tears, and immediately she sniffed them back.

"…I am just Ariel." She answered.

Bobby frowned. After a few short moments she tore her gaze away from her reflection and looked up at him. Bobby couldn't see the threat anywhere near or in this girl, at least not with the way she looked at him. Something about her was…different, but in a not evil way.

"What do you know about this place? It's beautiful." She spoke, seemingly in awe by her environment all of a sudden. Bobby was caught off guard by the question, and looked around himself. On any normal day, he'd disagree, but given how different this place had become most likely overnight, he had to agree.

"Where's your father kid?" The adult thought to ask seeing as she had been asking solely for her 'father' when he found her. He'd almost gotten carried away by the moment forgetting about the issue at hand.

She looked alarmingly up at him, with questioning eyes, as if she were asking the same question.

Ariel had no answer for him.

"Do you have any family at all that I can call?" She tried to think long and hard of anyone she could think of, but it seemed the harder she thought, the more she forgot. It felt as though her memory were being wiped as the second ticked by.

"No. I have…no one it seems." She answered. It seemed to be the truth, but looking into the older man's eyes, she could see something in them.

"What is your name?" She asked lightly.

"Names Bobby Singer, I run the uh 'Singer Salvage Yard' just a few miles up the road." He answered, seemingly proud of his belongings, causing her to reveal the smallest of smiles. It was the first one Bobby had ever seen from her, and he had to admit it was a nice one.

"Well, Bobby Singer of Singer Salvage Yard. It seems that you…are all the family I have." She beamed, happy to say what she did. Bobby was taken aback, so much so that he had to take an actual step back.

This child before him, was claiming him as family. After knowing him for all of ten minutes, she was already attached to him. He couldn't see how. He broke everything he touched. This was what he knew, this is what he and his wife Karen had fought about before she'd passed. He was the reason why they'd never had children of their own, why he'd been dealt the hand he'd been dealt.

Why he was alone.

… ** _Was_**.

"I-…" The words wouldn't leave him. The words he wanted to say that would let her know of his story, of why he couldn't be her family. They didn't want to, because they didn't know how.

"I'm sorry kid." He managed to choke out, growing emotional about the situation. He could only imagine that Karen was looking down on him right now, begging him to do the right thing.

"If you'll have me that is…" As if she knew what to do, her lips pulled up into a full blown grin, and Bobby knew then that he would give in. He couldn't fight the calm that she brought unto his spirit, as if it were a gift of hers. He knew there was something special about her, but what?

"I'm no father." He made sure to say, earning a frown from Ariel. She could feel the hurt permeating throughout his entire being, and reached out to link her hand with his. Bobby jumped at the sudden contact, unsure of how to feel. It was clear this man before her was no father. No father to her that is, but she had no one here. And it was becoming cold out here alone. She was sure this place would change overnight. She needed someone.

"…But you're someone." She responded looking down at their feet, her voice light and hopeful. Hers still bare as he didn't have any spare shoes to lend her. The dirt under her feet was cold, causing her to curl her toes in. She prayed he'd take her with him.

She didn't want to be alone anymore.

The sound of heavy old metal creaking caused her to raise her gaze. Bobby pulled open the backseat door to his truck, and held it open for her.

"…Come on. Get in." He would help her. He couldn't leave her out there alone. Karen would never agree with something like that. It was his job to protect people. So he'd do this, he'd help her figure out who she is, and return her to her rightful place on this messed up earth, because it was the right thing to do.

That and…he didn't want to be alone anymore either.

* * *

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **March 13th 1993**

"Nothing. Every Ariel I've pulled up, none of them match your description. I've tried everything I could possibly think of, I've looked up every record in the books, and not one linked to you. No one has any idea who you are, or who you could be." Bobby spoke with stress as he and Ariel sat at the local library up the street from his home the next morning.

They'd come straight from there after finding her some better fitting clothes at the plaza in town. So far she'd been responding as pretty well to her surroundings. Everything was so new to her, and she was doing her best to take it all in with every stride. She was managing, but it was obvious to Bobby how overwhelmed she was by it all.

"This is not good?" She said in return, not exactly sure how to take the news. She blinked long and hard the moment her vision began to blur. An ache in her head had been coming on ever since she left the cemetery, and she wasn't sure how to aid it. It seemed to intensify as the hours played on.

"Ariel is a pretty uncommon name." Bobby answered before glancing at her. He stuck to her once he noticed the off expression on her face. It had gone pale in color, evoking concern in him.

"You alright kid?" He asked, hoping the answer was yes. They didn't need another hiccup right now. They needed answers.

"I'm well." She answered. He squinted in response. It was obvious to him that she wasn't from around here, maybe not even of this earth, but there was nothing for him to go by. He had not one clue to help him figure out who the little girl in front of him was. He continued to stare, losing himself in thought.

"I...wish I could be of more service to you Bobby...I-...I'm sorry." She strained, wincing as the sharp pain passing in her head.

"...Ariel?" Bobby spoke, seeing the illness reveal itself in her eyes. He reached over, resting a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but he hoped it'd stop. She suddenly doubled over, pain spreading through her head like wild flames. She groaned holding her hands to her temples, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Woah-woah...Ariel?" Bobby was off his seat now, and on one bent knee ready to aid the girl in any way he could. He held her by the shoulders, calling out to her, but she couldn't respond. The tears ran fresh down her cheeks as she fought against the discomfort. Her moans attracting the attention of passerbyers around them. Bobby had become fully aware of how off this might've looked, but knew there wasn't much he could do, but wait it out.

"Ariel...Ariel can you hear me? It's alright kid." She hadn't responded.

"It's gonna be alright Ariel." He tried to coax the best he could. It was frightening to see just how paternal he could be in times like these, which hardly arised often. With Sam and Dean, it was different. They'd known their father. With her...she had no idea who he was, and somehow thought to put him in that place, and he'd accepted the responsibility almost too easily.

He knew Karen was a big reason why. He was beginning to see Ariel as a way to keep Karen alive-

"Who?" Her voice rang out, pulling him out of his thoughts. His eyes snapped to hers. The color had somehow returned to her tone, rendering her healthy again. He furrowed his brows with confusion.

"Ariel? You okay?" He questioned cautiously. She matched his expression, sporting a look of utter confusion as she stared back at him.

"Who's Ariel?...Who are you?" She answered, void of every emotion other than confusion. Bobby's face fell as he realized that her memory was wiped.

"...Ah, balls." He groaned.

* * *

"Ariel's a bad name." She spoke, voice tiny after Bobby had explained to her everything that had transpired within the last fourteen hours.

They were seated comfortably in the living room of Bobby's not so tidy home. After her...episode, Bobby thought it was best to put the search to rest.

She hugged her knees to her chest as she stared at the worn man seated across from her. She had no idea who she was, or what had happened to her. All she could remember was opening her eyes and finding him there, holding her by her shoulders and watching her with all this worry in his eyes. All of this...concern. Emotions she'd been familiar with, but had no idea of how she'd learnt them. There was no recollection of anything before that moment, but within it, she found her trust in him. This man she only knew by name and address.

"It's not so bad." Bobby spoke, a slight smirk on his lips. She shrugged in return, not liking it even still. If that had been her name given to her by her parents, she wondered what their names had been. She grimaced at the thought.

Bobby found the little girl to be even more fascinating than before. He wasn't sure how, but she had adopted a rather sassy attitude within the last couple of hours that they'd been together. He didn't mind it though. It was a lot less formal, and it seemed to suit her.

"You can always change it if it bothers you that much." He spoke, shutting one of the books of records he'd been reading, one which he'd snagged from the local library, still in search of who she could've been. Yet again, he came up short, and was beginning to think he'd never figure it out.

Her whole identity had been wiped out. Most likely for a reason he gathered.

"I can?" She answered, her eyes widening with relief causing him to smirk a little wider.

"Yeah, sure kid. What were you thinkin'?" He asked, mentally preparing himself for a bunch of paperwork he knew he' have to fill in order to get her some documentation since she had none. He could already feel the headache coming on. He'd have a lot to do, as well as give her a fake age that was most likely accurate. If he could guess he'd say she was just in between the Winchesters, maybe about twelve or so. For now he'd stick with twelve.

Silence fell over the room, causing the tired man to tip a brow in question.

"I have no clue." She answered earning herself a chuckle from him. Bobby sighed, sitting up in his seat and moving forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he gazed at her, thinking of the perfect name for her. He didn't want to erase the only fact about her regardless of whether she remembered it or not. He made a promise to figure out how to get her her memories back. Besides, it wasn't as horrible as she knew it to be, Ariel. It was a pretty name, one that suited her when she knew it. One she seemed proud to say when it meant something to her. So she'd keep it.

"Candace?" He tried, earning a grimace from her.

"Sarah?" She shook her head no.

"Alright uh...How about..." He had to think long and hard bout this one. He didn't want to be doing this all night, and by the anxious look on her face, she didn't want to either.

"How about...Aurora...Aurora. Rory for short?" He said, believing that was the perfect name. He couldn't have done a better job. Aurora had special meaning. It was a special name for whom he felt was special girl.

She watched him for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face before the smile lit up her eyes.

"Way better."

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **"Love Interrupted" - Jack White**

 **"Closer" Kings Of Leon**

 **"Yellow" - Coldplay**

* * *

Hey y'all! :) I see I've got some viewers! I'm so glad! That means I must be doing something right! Obviously we've gained a little more insight on the past, and where Rory sort of came into existence...well kinda. We'll uncover more of her origin story along the way! Promise! I just wanted to scratch the surface and give you guys a better read on how she came around. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter! Leave your love!

xo


	5. Woman In White Pt I

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Stanford University**

 **Stanford, CA**

 **October 31st, 2005**

Dean lifted open the trunk of his Impala with Rory and Sam on either side of him, propping it up with a shotgun as he opened the spare-tire compartment to reveal his fully loaded arsenal, Rory whistled through her puckered lips.

"Gee Dean, you stock up for the occasion or what?" She beamed, eyeing the stainless, 9mm Beretta pistol with the familiar initials 'A.A.S.' engraved along frame of the weapon before reaching in to pick up and hold it, staring with admiration as if it were some long lost friend.

She could still remember the day Bobby had given it to her, showcasing the initials of her name along the frame which ultimately brought her to tears on her eighteenth birthday. The memory was fresh in her mind causing her to miss her father even more than she already cared to admit.

"Oh yeah. Been meaning to give that back to you." Dean spoke up while digging through the clutter of weapons in search of something.

"Uh huh..." Rory kept her current dislike for him at bay, holding back the real disdain she felt for Sam's sake. She didn't want him to have to witness their strained relationship.

"Alright, let's see, where the hell did I put that thing?" Dean too didn't bother entertaining his annoyance with Rory, knowing there were much bigger issues at hand, and he was already dealing with Sam.

"So when Dad left, why didn't you go with him?" Spoke the youngest Winchester, eyes watching a way too excited Rory while she fondled her favourite gun. He could tell there was something going on with her and Dean, something neither of them cared to admit in front of him, and for that he was grateful. But that didn't mean he wasn't curious. When he'd left them, they were inseparable, and now, they seemed to barely tolerate being around each other.

"I was working my own gig. This, uh, voodoo thing, down in New Orleans." Dean answered, causing Sam to flicker his gaze between the two hunters. He noticed the dull and uninterested look that Rory paid him in that moment.

Definitely something going on, he thought.

"Dad let you go on a hunting trip by yourself? **_Rory_** let you go on a hunting trip by yourself?" He found himself asking earning a look from his brother.

"I'm twenty-six, dude." Dean replied, pulling some papers out of a folder.

"Are you." Rory returned rhetorically earning a look over the shoulder from Dean. Sam did his best to hide the amusement on his face.

"I don't need anyone's blessing." Dean spoke. Rory shrugged in response, willing to drop the bitterness for now while sam remained quiet.

"All right, here we go. So Dad was checking out this two-lane blacktop just outside of Jericho, California. About a month ago, this guy..." Dean handed one of the papers he held to Sam.

"They found his car, but he vanished. Completely MIA." He explained as Sam read. Rory placed the gun in the waistband of her pants, and moved beside the young Winchester to get a good look at the paper in person, remembering Dean speaking about the case over the phone.

"So maybe he was kidnapped." Sam spoke after handing the paper over to Rory to finish reading. She took it with thanks.

"Yeah. Well, here's another one in April." Dean returned, tossing down another Jericho Herald article for another date.

"Another one in December 'oh-four, 'oh-three, 'ninety-eight, 'ninety-two, ten of them over the past twenty years." He stated, not exactly satisfied with the unbothered look on Sam's face. He snatched the paper from Rory before she could finish the last bit of it and gathered the rest of the papers before stashing them back into their folder.

"Hey-I wasn't done." she sighed, grinding her teeth.

"All men, all the same five-mile stretch of road." He continued, brushing off Rory's glare as he pulled out a bag from another part of the arsenal.

"It started happening more and more, so Dad went to go dig around. That was about three weeks ago. I hadn't heard from him since, which is bad enough." The concern for his father peaking through Deans eyes. Rory frowned, not understanding John's disappearance at all. She found it hard to believe that something may have taken him, or worse, taken him down. He was someone she knew to be next to unstoppable, immortal in some cases, at least that's what she believed. To find out anything different was unelectable to her. Sure they weren't as close as she would've liked them to be, but she still cared deeply for the man. He was like a second father to her who taught her a lot of things, about life and hunting.

"Then I get this voicemail yesterday."

She hadn't even noticed that Dean had pulled out his handheld recorder until his voice rang out and the voicemail began to play. It was staticky and the signal was broken up, but it was John. Definitely. Rory stepped forward, closer to the voice, leaning over to join the boys as they listened quietly.

 _"Dean...something big is starting to happen...I need to try and figure out what's going on. It may... Be very careful, Dean. You and Rore. We're all in danger."_

Her brows furrowed in confusion at the warning.

What the hell is going on? She thought.

"You know there's EVP on that?" Sam spoke up, killing the silence. Dean smirked with amusement.

"Not bad, Sammy. Kinda like riding a bike, isn't it?" He teased, earning an eye roll from Rory. Sam shook his head.

"All right. I slowed the message down, I ran it through a gold wave, took out the hiss, and this is what I got." Dean replayed the recording.

 _"I can never go home..."_ He stopped it again.

"What the hell?" Rory asked after hearing the whisper of a woman's voice, most likely a spirit, brows nearly connecting at the center of his forehead.

"Never go home." Sam repeated as Dean dropped the recorder and removed the propped shotgun while they all stood up straight, and shut the trunk before leaving on it.

"You know, in almost two years I've never bothered you, never asked you for a thing." Dean started with. It'd been a hell of a lot longer than that for Rory, but she wasn't exactly sure if that's how he should've asked for his brothers help, but she couldn't imagine herself doing a better job. Plus it seemed to be working. Sam sighed and looked away from them for a moment before looking back.

"All right. I'll go. I'll help you find him." He answered earning a small smile from Dean and a full blown grin from Rory.

"But I have to get back first thing Monday. Just wait here." Sam made to go back to his apartment. The smile on Rory's lips fading as she realized that their time together it wouldn't last for long.

"What's first thing Monday?" Dean asked, causing Sam to turn back to him.

"I have this...I have an interview." He answered. Rory tipped a brow in curiosity.

"Fancy." She voiced, not really expecting that answer.

"What, a job interview? Skip it." Dean spoke in true Dean fashion. Sam seemed annoyed by his direction, Rory could see it in the way he tensed.

"It's a law school interview, and it's my whole future on a plate." He stressed, causing both Rory's and Dean's brows to tip up.

"Law school?!" They sounded simultaneously. Rory exclaimed while Dean smirked.

"So we got a deal or not?" Sam brushed them off. Rory shifted on her boots, as Dean stared for a moment longer before giving a hint of a nod. Sam took his answer for what it was and retreated back towards his apartment, leaving the two hunters alone to dwell in their thoughts over him, though Rory only seemed to be thinking of herself as a lawyer and how impossible that lifestyle would be for her. She shivered at the thought.

"He's got a girlfriend you know?" Dean spoke, pulling her out of her head.

Her brows rose at the revelation. The excitement bubbling in her chest bringing on a happiness within her.

"Ya don't say." She smiled sweetly at the spot where Sam had just been before he descended down the steps, crossing her arms over her chest. She was proud of him, of who he'd become. This was something she knew he'd always wanted. She could tell the first day she'd met him, that he hunters life wasn't what he wanted, and eventually he'd gone on to express that to her in confidence, knowing his father and brother wouldn't understand. Rory somehow was always able to empathize with him, and she never judged, which made it all the more easily for both him and Dean to come clean to her on their toughest days. Its the person that she is, that helps them be who they were now.

"Yeah, names Jessica. Hot pieca' tail, I'll tell you that." Dean expressed. She kept her eyes on the spot, her smirk set on her lips.

"Of course you would." She voiced, not really paying attention to him. She wanted to appreciate this moment and the fact that everything about it was okay. Because being honest with herself, things hadn't been okay in a while.

Dean was able to sense this, like he always was whenever it came to her. His eyes scanned her profile before he reached out to tap her.

"Hey." He called.

She hummed a response and cast her glance on him, seemingly finished with her moment.

"...We okay?" He asked, well aware of the tension between them. Rory turned her body to face him, shifting all of her weight into one foot.

"That depends, was that an apology?" She countered with a risen brow. She always loved moments like this, when Dean was willing to admit his wrongs. Though it was never done in a traditional way, it was still highly entertaining to witness, especially when she was on the receiving end.

"C'mon Angel, I-..." Dean trailed off, not able to say exactly what he wanted.

"You ditched me and went missing for six months, and you took my gun with you." She told him plainly gesturing to the gun on her hip.

They'd just finished a hunt, one John and Bobby had allowed them to do on their own, and they worked brilliantly together, aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses, and had each other's backs one hundred percent of the time. Rory didn't understand what drove Dean to ditch her in the motel room in the middle of the night, never to be seen again until tonight. It was cruel and unusual punishment, punishment she didn't deserve.

She had to ask John if he was alive, because he wouldn't pick up her calls or answer her texts. It was pathetic in her opinion. And what hurt her the most, was the fact that John knew exactly where he was every time she bothered to ask, and wouldn't tell her where. Ultimately, that put them in a rut, and Rory had forced herself to pull away from the Winchesters altogether for a while, and give up the search. It saddened her that she'd had to stop talking to John, she understood that Dean was his son and his loyalty lies with him first, but it hurt. He'd hurt her for keeping his secrets just like Dean had for leaving, and Sam had for leaving her too. They'd all hurt her, and yet here she is.

"I know. I know..." He shook his head. Dean knew what he's done was wrong. It was just coming too much. Everything was getting too deep with him, with them. He panicked, and that caused him to run.

"I'm sorry." He owned up, thinking it was time he apologized. Six months without her was long enough, it drove him insane. It's part of the reason why he took her gun in the first place, as a reminder. He needed her, and he was sorry he hurt her.

He was willing to admit that if nothing else out loud now.

Rory eyed him a little longer, enjoying and appreciating the sincerity in his eyes. He cared enough to try and mend things. To her, that meant a lot. She wouldn't ignore the effort.

"Apology accepted." She smiled tightly, willing to shove aside all the harsh emotions of the past. She'd do it to get the job done, and because they needed to be one on this. There couldn't be any clouded judgement now. They had to find John.

Dean released a sigh of relief.

"Wanna kiss and makeup?" He smirked and tossed a wink her way. She groaned and turned to walk back to her car.

"You sure you don't wanna just take one car?" He called out behind her. Rory threw him a glance over er shoulder.

"Scared I'll beat you there?" She taunted whilst retrieving her keys from the pocket of her leather jacket, earning a look from Dean.

"Oh, you're on." He spoke, making his way to the drivers side of the impala just as Sam reemerged up the steps.

"You look hot by the way!" Dean yelled across the way before she could get in the car. Rory rolled her eyes in return.

"Bite me, Winchester." She snarked, bringing Sam to a pause in the middle of the lot. His eyes darting between both cars as the drivers revved their engines to life.

He could see Rory looking at him through the windshield, and he stared back with questioning eyes.

She only smirked and waved goodbye in return earning a head shake from him. He knew he'd have to find the time to ask about her and his brothers 'situationship' later.

For now, he'd get in the car.

* * *

 **Somewhere, CA**

 **November 1st 2005.**

The Impala was parked in front of a pump with the Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man" leaking through the stereo and out of the open windows. Just behind Rory's Mustang where she pumped her own tank full of gas. It was certainly dominant over her radio, that at the time was playing the sweet voice of Dana Glover's "The Way".

"So where were you before this Rore?! I'm assuming you weren't with Dean?!" Sam asked, voice slightly higher than the music. She smirked.

"I was not Sammy. I was out in Vegas, enjoying the craps table and many, many other sources of entertainment!" She winked earning a playful eye roll from Sam as she shook the nozzle for any extra fluid, and removed it from the tank.

"Then Dean called Sunday evening at about six thirty, begging for my help! Clearly, I couldn't say no. And now!..." She gestured to her surroundings, waving an arm out gently while the other hung the nozzle back on its hook, closed her tank and made her way around te car to rest her hip on the trunk so she could better face Sam. He squinted, doing the math in his head.

"Sunday night at six thirty?! And you drove from Vegas to Stanford and got there at what-"

"Approximately midnight, one-ish!.." She wiggled her hand.

"That's an eight hour drive. Eleven if you take the toll route!" He spoke with slight disbelief.

"I did it in six and a half!" She winked.

Dean chose then to walk out of the convenience store holding a handful of snacks that Rory hoped she could have at least some of.

"Yay!" She beamed. Sam shook his head in amusement as he looked away from a proud Rory as she caught the turkey jerky that Dean had tossed her way. Sam wondered when the last time was that she enjoyed a home cooked meal.

He sat patiently in the shotgun seat with the door open, rifling through a box of Dean's cassette tapes.

"Hey!" Sam leant out toward the drivers window and looked to Dean lowering the music.

"You want breakfast?!" He yelled until the music lowered.

"No, thanks." Sam declined.

"So how'd you pay for that stuff?" He asked as Dean pumped the gas.

"You guys still running credit card scams?" He inquired looking between both of them. Rory shrugged with a smile.

"Yeah, well, hunting ain't exactly a pro ball career." Dean answered.

"I hear that. Thank God for craps tables!" Yelled Rory from across the way, waving her jerky. Dean put the nozzle back on the pump.

"Besides, all we do is apply. It's not our fault they send us the cards." He explained, as if it justified anything.

"Yeah? And what names did you write on the application this time?" Sam asked swinging his legs back inside the car and closed the door.

"Uh, Burt Aframian." Dean started as he got back into the driver seat and put his soda and chips down.

"And his son Hector. Scored two cards out of the deal. Not sure who Angel over there is at the moment-"

"Darlene Frasier." She chimed in. Dean hadn't even noticed that she'd gotten back in her car and reverse next to them, peaking through Sam's window into their conversation. He closed his door.

"That sounds about right. I swear, man, you've gotta update your cassette tape collection." Sam spoke. There were at least a dozen cassettes in the box in his lap; some with album art, others hand-labeled.

"Why?"

"Well, for one, they're cassette tapes. And two." The young Winchester held up a tape for every band he named.

"Black Sabbath? Motorhead? Metallica?" He continued until Dean took the box labeled Metallica from his brother.

"It's the greatest hits of mullet rock." He criticized, meanwhile Rory searched for a decent track for her own entertainment. Unlike Dean, Rory was okay with change. She went along with the times, and her car was suited with a CD player and stashed away in the glove compartment were tons of her favourite Rock and Indie albums that she'd went out to a random record store and bought a while back.

"Ouhh." She gleamed, pulling up the AC/DC album.

"Well, house rules, Sammy." Dean spoke as he popped a tape in the player.

"Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole." He finished, dropping the Metallica tape case back in the box of tapes before starting the engine.

"You know, Sammy is a chubby twelve-year-old." Sam said, over the nickname.

Rory's music began to play, louder than Deans, finishing their conversation.

"It's Sam, okay?!" He spoke anyway.

"Sorry, I can't hear you, her music's too loud!" Dean smirked, pointing to Rory, whom Sam then glanced over at with a dry expression. She grinned in response before taking off towards Jericho.

Dean followed quickly after.

* * *

 **Centennial Highway**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 1st, 2005**

Rory thought it'd be best to park a little ways back from the bridge. In case any authority were around, she didn't want to seem suspicious, and three agents showing up out of the blue was suspicious enough. She couldn't wait to see how they pulled this one off, because there was no way she would stay in the car.

"All right. So, there's no one matching Dad at the hospital or morgue." Sam spoke after hanging up the phone. She scooted up from the backseat, sticking her head between the two boys to hear better. Relief spread through her at the news. It was good to know he wasn't dead, or anything.

"So that's something, I guess." Dean glanced over at Sam, then back at the road. At the bridge ahead of them, there were two police cars and several officers outside, doing the job they knew they could do better.

"Check it out." Dean said. Both Sam and Rory leaned forward for a closer look.

Dean pulled over. They all took a long look before he shut off the engine. Kid Gloves Music's "My Cheatin' Ways" Dean searched the glove compartment and pulled out a box full of ID cards with his and Johns faces. Rory got a good look at the couple ones that read FBI and DEA.

"Any in there I left behind?" Rory asked.

"Uh...there we go, Detective Schleeter." Dean grinned handing Rory her fake FBI ID. He too picked one out and grinned at Sam, who stared back at him.

"Let's go." Dean said before getting out of the car. Rory was hit on his heels.

 _"No sign of struggle, no footprints, no fingerprints. Spotless. It's almost too clean."_ Rory could hear from the short distance as they walked along the bridge as if they belonged there, confidence was key in situations like these. She always remembered to 'belong where she didn't belong', something John had taught her long ago.

 _"So, this kid Troy. He's dating your daughter, isn't he?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"How's Amy doing?"_

"She's putting up missing posters downtown."

"You fellas had another one like this just last month, didn't you?"

One of the deputies looked up when Dean announced his presence talking and straightening up to talk to him.

"And who are you?" He asked, though Rory was sure the question was directed at all of them.

Dean flashed his badge quickly.

"Federal marshals." He answered.

"You three are a little young for marshals, aren't you?" The deputy spoke, suspicion in his eyes as his glance fell on Rory. He eyed the beauty from head to toe. Dean laughed.

"Thanks, that's awfully kind of you." He snarked, doing his best to take the attention off of Rory, not at all liking the way he looked at her. He walked over to the car.

"You did have another one just like this, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right. About a mile up the road. There've been others before that."

"So, this victim, you knew him?" Sam joined in earning a nod.

"Town like this, everybody knows everybody." The deputy answered.

Dean and Rory circled the car, looking around.

"Any connection between the victims, besides that they're all men?"

"No. Not so far as we can tell." The deputy answered. Rory rolled her eyes.

"Could these guys do anything right?" She uttered under her breath, earning an eye roll of agreement.

"So what's the theory?" Sam asked walking over to his team.

"Honestly, we don't know. Serial murder? Kidnapping ring?" Rory was stumped.

How'd they get a job in this field? She thought.

"Well, that is exactly the kind of crack police work I'd expect out of you guys." Dean voiced earning a snort from her. She wasn't shocked to hear him speak his mind. Sam however, stomped on his foot earning a groan in return.

"Thank you for your time." He thanked before walking off with Rory and Dean in toe.

"Gentlemen." Sam bid the other authorities farewell while Rory kept her eyes forward, not at all about to pay their backs for a job horribly done. She walked behind the boys, trying to put together what she could with this case, ignoring the smack Sam delivered to the back of Dean's head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

He whined, holding his head.

"Why'd you have to step on my foot?" He added with irritation.

"Why do you have to talk to the police like that?" Sam countered. Dean looked at Sam and moved in front of him to stop him from walking ultimately causing Rory to bump into his back. She sighed watching the two.

"Guys we don't have time for this." She tried, seeing the sheriff walk towards them with two other men in toe.

 _Shit_. She thought.

"Come on. They don't really know what's going on. We're all alone on this. I mean, if we're going to find Dad we've got to get to the bottom of this thing ourselves." Dean explained reasonably. Sam cleared his throat and looked over Deans shoulder. Dean turned on his heels.

"Can I help you boys?" Asked the sheriff.

"No, sir, we were just leaving." Dean answered as the FBI agents walked by them. Rory smirked at one, thinking he was highly attractive. While Dean nodded at each of them.

"Agent Mulder. Agent Scully." He bid them farewell with sarcasm leaking from his tone as the sheriff watched them go.

Rory sighed with relief.

"That could've been worse."

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1\. "Highway To Hell" - AC/DC**

 **2\. "The Way" - Dana Glover**

 **3\. "Ramblin' Man" - Allman Brothers**

* * *

 **Hey y'all! Sorry for the poorly edited chapter from before :$ I was kinda in a hurry. Anywho! Hope you enjoyed the first part of this chapter. I'm not sure how I'll break it up, if I'm lucky I'll stop at 2, but seeing as I have to squeeze Rory in, I think it'll probably be done by the third. In other news, I'd like to give a shoutout to all my readers (silent or not) I appreciate you taking the time to even read the summary! It's horrible :$ but eventually I'll fix it once I figure out better words lmfao!  
**

 **Also, tell me what you guys think! I'm dying to know! I haven't gotten any feedback yet and I'm praying I'll start to get some by the end of the week. If not, I'll probably take that as my cue to delete the story and start another. It just really helps if I know how you guys are feeling about it! Tell me what you think about Rory! Do we like her? Hate her? Do we like her and Deans relationship? Do we want her and Sam together? I'd love to hear it all! :)**

 **Okay! Enough outta me! I'll get back to writing! Hopefully the next few chapters will get a word out of y'all!**

 **Enjoy :)**

 **xo**


	6. Woman In White Pt II

**Sylvania Bridge**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 1st, 2005**

* * *

Dean, Rory and Sam all walk along the bridge later that night, and stop to lean on the railing to look down at the dark river below. It looked pretty shallow. Rory knew if anyone were to take a dive from the bridge, they intended on killing themselves.

She cringed at the thought.

"So this is where Constance took the swan dive." Dean voiced. Rory smacked his shoulder.

"Show some empathy, Dean." She scolded, earning a frown from the older Winchester. They'd done all the research they could. Even threw in a few interviews with some of the town citizens related to victims, specifically the girlfriend, Amy and another friend of hers who also knew one of the victims, Troy. They'd spoken about a local legend, one that had definitely caught their attention, and once they'd done some more digging at the local library they'd found that Constance had in fact committed suicide after finding her two children dead in the bathtub after drowning. She'd left them alone for a couple of minutes, and everything had gone south after that. It struck her heart reading about it, and she couldn't help but feel for the family, vengeful spirit or not. All she wanted now was to put them to rest.

Rory had to admit, with Sam in the picture, they worked a lot quicker than usual. Sure she had brains of her own to get them by, but time was precious when it came to a job like this.

"So you think Dad would have been here?" Sam asked looking over at them. He wouldn't deny the fact that he was in a hurry to find his father. Rory could see that much in his eyes whenever the mention of John left his lips.

"Well, he's chasing the same story and we're chasing him." Dean tried to put together in a way that wouldn't completely kill Sam's hope. They kept it moving, Sam falling third in line until he fell into step beside Rory, putting her in the middle.

"Okay, so now what?" Sam asked, causing Rory to glance up at him, brows furrowed. He glanced at her for only a moment before looking back to Dean for answers.

Rory knew he was growing impatient, and if she knew him as well as she thought she did, that meant that the situation was about to get a little more tense. Impatient Sam was always a pain in the ass.

"Now we keep digging until we find him. Might take a while." Dean answered, seemingly in tune with Sam's emotions. He threw Rory a quick look, one she caught. And within the duration of the moment, she tried to tell him keep calm. The last thing they needed right now was an argument.

Sam came to a stop.

 _Dammit. Looks like we're having one anyway,_ she thought.

"Sam." She warned.

"Dean, I told you, I've gotta get back by Monday—"

"Monday. Right. The interview." Dean turned to face Sam. His annoyance for his brother plucking his last nerve. He'd been trying to keep a level head about the way Sam chose to show his 'care' for their father's disappearance and his hurry to get back to his apple pie lifestyle,, but he was making it really hard. And Dean was sure that if Rory hadn't been there to steer him away, he would've said something about it a long time ago. She sighed and decided to leave them be for the moment, and strolled over to the edge of the bridge to get a better look at the place.

"Yeah." Sam answered casually, noting Rory's figure by the ledge, wanting to keep tabs on her at all times while they were out there with a spirit lurking around.

"Yeah, I forgot. You're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're just going to become some lawyer? Marry your girl?" Dean started, having had enough. Sure the thought was nice, but he needed to wake up. That kind of life just didn't exist for them. It didn't work. The sooner he knew, the better.

"Maybe. Why not?" Sam asked, seemingly offended.

"Does Jessica know the truth about you? I mean, does she know about the things you've done?" Dean questioned further pushing his brothers buttons. He knew exactly which ones to press.

"No, and she's not ever going to know." Sam answered as he stepped closer to his brother. Rory had turned to look over her shoulder just in time to catch the movement and sighed before walking back over to them. There was too much pent up emotions for this to blow over smoothly.

"Well, that's healthy. You can pretend all you want, Sammy. But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are." Dean stood tall, not at all backing down or threatened by Sam's towering figure. Tall or not, Dean would take anyone on.

 ** _"Dean."_** Rory bit with warning. Dean knew better than to ignore her, so he turned around and kept it moving. She met his eyes as he passed her and rolled his return. Rory paid Sam a look as he too came to pass, only he wasn't done with Dean. He was chasing him. She held up a hand at his chest, resting it on his impressively developed chest to the point where he pushed against it and she could feel the muscle breathing underneath.

"Hey. **_Don't."_** She tried.

"And who's that?" Sam yelled anyway, fully ignoring the blonde. She could only hope that the eldest knew better.

"You're one of us." Dean answered with a taunting tone, causing Rory's shoulders to slump in defeat and her hand to drop by her side. Sam took that chance to hurry himself and get in front of Dean who seemed to expect the reaction.

"No. I'm not like you. This is **_not_** going to be my life." Sam stressed wanting both Dean and Rory to hear him. He meant it.

"You have a responsibility to—"

"To Dad? And his crusade?"

 _ **"Balls."**_ Rory cursed under her breath in true Bobby Singer fashioin, knowing that Sam's words were the last string to pull before the whole thing blew up.

"If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what Mom looks like. And what difference would it make?" He continued, somehow able to twist everything around so that he was now the one pushing buttons. She saw Dean tense at the shoulders, rolling them back as if he were preparing himself to react. Rory took a step ahead.

"Even if we do find the thing that killed her, Mom's gone. And she isn't coming back." That was all it took for Dean to grab Sam by the collar and shove him up against the railing of the bridge. Rory rushed over, holding both her hands on Dean's shoulders, trying to pry him away from his little brother.

"Hey-hey-hey. _**Hey.**_ Cool it! We're not doing this right now guys, c'mon." She begged as calmly as she could. Dean could feel her on his shoulders, and instantly, like always, a calm began to permeate throughout him. He always wondered how she was able to do that with him. It was like no matter how bad the situation, she could always pull him out, and she could always calm him down. But regardless of that, this was his mother they were talking about. The one subject in his life that nobody, not even Sam should touch. That was going too far.

There was a long pause that made the young woman grow nervous. She wasn't so sure she could diffuse the situation, not when it involved the Winchester's mother. She knew of the sensitivity that came along with the mention of her name, her father had explained it time and time again whenever she grew curious growing up. Her story was sad, and to know that Dean had lost her in such a way hurt her.

"Don't talk about her like that." It was obvious that he was still hurting too, but through the hurt, he was able to find his right mind, and calm down, and released his brother from his vice grip before walking away. The younger Winchester flickered his sad gaze unto Rory, who stared worriedly back at him, as if to ask if he were okay. He offered up the tiniest of smirks, earning a nod from her before she turned to look over to Dean, only to find Constance standing there at the edge of the bridge. She straightened and slowly made her way over to Dean with Sam in toe.

"Sam." Dean called, not at all aware that his brother had already seen the ghost.

Constance looked over at them, catching them all off guard, and stepped forward off the edge. Dean and Rory seemed to react faster than Sam, running over to the railing to look over, but there was nothing in sight, only the dark waters of the river.

"Where'd she go?" Dean asked, confusion falling over them.

"I don't know." Replied Sam.

"She's a ghost, I'm sure it was a soft landing." Cracked Rory, failing to grasp the nature of what was happening. Dean who normally would've laughed at her jokes, was finding it hard to let one go given the bitterness he felt toward his brother. Rory pushed away from the rail, perplexed with how unsuccessful this night was turning out to be. That's when the sound of the Impala's engine roaring to life caught her attention.

"What the _**fuck?**_ " She cursed under her breath just loud enough for the brothers to hear. Dean and Sam turned to the Impala, Dean on high alert for his baby.

"What the—"

"Who's driving your car?" Sam asked the one question on everyone's minds.

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled the keys he was sure he had, out of his pocket and jingled them around causing both Sam and Rory to glance at them.

"Shit." Rory swore as realization slammed into her. That's when the car jerked into motion, heading straight for them.

"Guys? Go! Go!" They turned to make a break for it.

"Shit!" Rory cursed again, not at all expecting the day to turn upside down so quickly. She looked over her shoulder and found the car racing after them, moving faster than they could on feet. Rory always thought she was a decent runner, with above average speed for a woman. She'd been on the high school track team two years in a row until she got tired of it and school altogether and wound up home schooled. She always thought she was quick, until now, where she had to race a car.

It was getting way too close for comfort. She was sure they'd be roadkill, and thought, of all the ways they could've gone out, this way didn't seem so bad. That's when Dean placed a hand on her back to help push her forward so that she was ahead of him, but when he took her arm and pulled her towards his other side, she grew confused.

"Dean, what're you-"

"Jump!" Dean cut her off in the rush, pushing her towards the ledge so that she had no choice but to jump off. The fear raced up into her throat causing her to yelp as she leaped, and she waited for the impact to end her as she fell, only to be surprised when she hit the water. It was deeper than she'd anticipated, and freezing. Her entire body submerged in it, and for a moment she was too discombobulated to figure out which way was which. She did her best to calm down, kicking her arms and legs to try and get to the surface when a grip latched onto her wrist, pulling her up. She held her breath for a little longer until she broke the surface. Gasping for air, she pushed her wet and heavy tresses out of her face so that she could better see her savior.

"Dean?!" She breathed, seeing that it was in fact him. She checked him-what she could see of him-over and practically jumped at him to lock him in a hug.

"Thank God!-"

"Agh!" He groaned, feeling a slight sting in his rib cage. He doubted it was broken, fractured maybe, but definitely bruised. Rory pulled away after a moment, feeling it was getting harder to keep afloat with the flowing current.

"C'mon, we need to get to shore!" He yelled over the water as if reading her mind, holding her by the arm and dragging her along behind him. Rory moved with him, eyes darting every which way for any sign of Sam when she found him up above, off the side of the rail, working to pull himself up. She exhaled a breath of relief after seeing that he was alright.

"Dean?! Rory?!" Sam yelled in search of his family, the fear of losing them nearly strangling him alive.

"DEAN!" He screamed, chest heaving. Meanwhile, Dean fought against his exhaustion, pulling both himself and Rory up onto the muddy shore. He'd panicked when he broke the surface of the water and couldn't find her. He'd looked up and found Sam hanging on for dear life, but his heart nearly exploded in his chest as he searched, and searched, for minutes, and came up empty. When he finally did find her, he promised himself he'd never let that kind of thing happen again. He'd let the car hit him next time if it meant saving her and her brother a swan dive.

"What?!" He strained as the blonde collapsed beside him, arms and legs feeling like jello by that time. Rory stared up at the night sky, vision slightly blurred. She hoped she didn't have a concussion, but chances were she did. The pain in the back of her head, and the slight ringing in her right ear growing more intense the calmer she became. She was sure her head had broken the water when she hit.

"Hey! Are you guys alright?!" Sam yelled down at them. She shut her eyes, glad to know they were all okay. Meanwhile, Dean held up a hand in an A-OK sign.

"M'super!" He panted, lying flat on his back, filthy and annoyed while looking to his left at Rory who's eyes were still shut. He worked up the energy to nudge her with the same hand he used to answer Sam as the younger man laughed with relief, scooting away from the edge of the bridge.

"Hey." He gruffed. Noticing the hazy and confused look she was giving the sky as she peeled open her lids. He was guessing she'd smacked her head on the water when she hit it, and now she was concussed.

 ** _Crap,_** he thought.

"You okay?" He asked her, groaning as he turned onto his side to get a better look at her. Rory panted and slowly nodded her head, hating the nauseated feeling her body had suddenly welcomed.

"You don't look it." He spoke. Rory could only imagine how she looked then, and sighed.

"...I think I have a concussion." She admit, causing Dean to frown. He couldn't wait to put down that ghost.

"Rory okay?!" Sam yelled from up above, and she wished she could answer yes honestly.

"She's fine!" Dean decided to lie for her anyway, earning a tired smirk from her as she slowly rose her hand up in an A-OK sign, mimicking Dean.

"Peachy." She groaned, as Dean chuckled.

"'Atta girl."

* * *

 **Motel Lobby**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 2nd, 2005**

Rory lay quietly in the backseat of the Impala wide awake and hopped up on coffee since she wasn't allowed to sleep. Dean had talked her ear off about what happened back at the bridge with both Sam and Constance. He promised her he was going to 'salt n' burn that crazy bitch if it was the last thing he did.', and deal with Sam later when he had the energy.

It was a long drive.

Sam opened up the passenger door to get in. He'd had no choice but to pick up Rory's car that she'd left parked in town near the library, since she was in no condition to drive. And she'd be damned if she let it sit out there overnight. No one would tow her prize, she wouldn't allow it, and the boys knew better than to argue with her about it.

"Thor okay?" She asked, referring to her car, a name she'd given it carefully. It took her a while to finally think of the perfect fit for the Mustang, but eventually, Thor slipped passed her lips and made its match. Sam still couldn't believe she'd named it after a fictional comic book superhero. When he'd asked her why, she simply answered, 'Why Sam?' and left it at that. Every time he heard the name he rolled his eyes.

"He's fine. Told me to tell you he missed you though." Sam snarked. Rory gave him a dry look in return, earning a chuckle from him as he tossed over a plastic bag to her. He caught it, but not without wincing at the sudden movement. Her head was still pounding.

"Got you some Asprin for the pain." He spoke.

"Saint Samuel to the rescue." She quirked. Sam shook his head in response, looking over the seat at her.

"You know, concussions really bring out the worst in you." He spoke lightly. She hummed in agreement.

"So I've been told, and it's just a headache. I'll be fine in no time." Rory replied popping two Asprin in her mouth and swallowed it dry, eager to be rid of the discomfort.

"Right. I'm gonna go check on Hector." Sam spoke, opening the car door, being cautious not to slam it too hard out of consideration for Rory. She smirked, relaxing further into her seat as he walked out of sight.

* * *

It had taken no time at all for the boys to return to the car. In fact, they'd returned a little too quickly, and seemed to be in a hurry.

"That was quick." Rory said, eyes

"Dad booked a room at this motel. For a month." Dean spoke up first, not wanting to waste any more time. Rory's ears perked up at the news, and she sat up, almost too quickly.

"Which room?"

* * *

The motel door swung open. Sam on the other side of it while Rory and Dean remained posted outside the room keeping a lookout. Sam was glad to know he could still pick a lock. Dean enjoyed the peace in the moment, watching the plain sky in relaxation, until Sam had reached out of the room to grab his shoulder and yank him inside. Rory spun at the ready, confusion spread across her features as she reached for the gun on her hip in case of danger, but relaxed once she'd seen it was only Sam. He waited for her to enter before he shut the door behind them.

"This place wreaks of John Winchester." Rory voiced as her feet carried her slowly around the room—every vertical surface had papers pinned to it. Maps, newspaper clippings, pictures, notes. There were books on the desk and assorted junk on the floor and bed, including something with a hazardous-materials symbol.

"I'll say." Dean responded, a grimace on his face after sniffing a half-eaten, past due hamburger left behind on the night table.

"Whoa." Sam spoke in light shock of the state of his father's motel room.

Rory turned on a light by the bed in time to see Sam step over a line of salt on the floor.

"I don't think he's been here for a couple days at least." Dean said.

"Salt, cats-eye shells...he was worried. Trying to keep something from coming in." He guessed, passing a finger through the salt while Dean walked over to join Rory by the wall of papers.

"What have you got here?" Sam asked noticing his team by the wall.

"Centennial Highway victims."

Rory read carefully, ignoring the ache in her head that was thankfully beginning to fade thanks to the medication. She'd have to buy Sam a beer later on to thank him.

"All men." She stated the obvious aloud.

"I don't get it. I mean, different men, different jobs-" Rory took a step back from the wall to think things over, it was a little hard for her given the concussion, but she pushed herself, only stopping once Sam suddenly crossed the room.

"—ages, ethnicities. There's always a connection, right? What do these guys have in common?" Dean continued, slightly frustrated. He carried on while Rory eyed his brother, and his brother the papers pinned to the opposite wall. Rory couldn't see too well from where she was standing, but a sketch on one the posted papers caught her eye, drawing her attention. She moved toward it, making out a demons face the closer she came. She then allowed her eyes to dance along the rest of the wall until her gaze landed on the note that read, _'Woman In White'_ just above a printout of the Jericho Herald article on Constance's suicide. She furrowed her brows.

 _If I thought I was confused before,_ she thought until it clicked, her face falling flat.

"That bastard." She uttered under her breath so that no one would hear her.

Sam reached out to turn on another lamp granting everyone in the room better vision.

"Dad figured it out." He spoke aloud, earning a curse from Rory. She was hoping he wouldn't figure it out, not at all sure of how they'd react. She wondered if this was some kind of goose chase John had them on.

"What do you mean?" Dean came over to them.

"He found the same article we did." Sam started.

"Constance Welch. She's a 'Woman in White.'" Rory sighed whilst Dean looked over the photos of Constance's victims.

"You sly dogs." He turned back to them, seemingly okay with the revelation, which kind of surprised Rory. She was expecting a different reaction, one more like Sam's, unless she'd been looking at this the wrong way.

 ** _Maybe he thought he destroyed the spirit, but was wrong, and was sending us after it to finish the job he couldn't,_** she thought.

"All right, so if we're dealing with a woman in white, Dad would have found the corpse and destroyed it."

"She might have another weakness." She listened to the boys converse, the room spinning a bit when she turned to quickly to face Dean. He eyed her for a moment, but continued on when she waved him off. If there was one thing he knew she hated, it was being coddled.

"Well, Dad would want to make sure." He went on to say crossing over to his brother.

"He'd dig her up. Does it say where she's buried?"

"No, not that I can tell. If I were Dad, though, I'd go ask her husband." Sam answered, sticking himself in his father's shoes for a moment. If they were ever going to find him, he knew that's what they'd have to do from then on.

Rory took a seat on the edge of the bed, rubbing at her temples.

"What's the husbands name again?" She asked, trying to engage in the conversation. Sam tapoed the picture on the wall.

"Joseph Welch. Man that concussion really screwed you up huh?" Dean said, tossing her a concerned glance. Rory only waved him off with her hand.

"I'm fine." She returned before gesturing to the paper on the wall.

"Pass me that." She asked Sam, who obliged and handed her the paper on Joseph Welch. She read over the caption that said his age at the time, thirty, and the article date which was 1981, the same year she was 'born'. She could still remember the day Bobby had handed her her a copy of her birth certificate stating her full name, date of birth and birthplace.

"He's around sixty-four then?" She gave an educated guess.

"If he's still alive." Sam replied while going to look at something else. A picture of a woman in a white dress whom he assumed was Constance.

"All right. Why don't you, uh, see if you can find an address, We're gonna get cleaned up." Dean said, reaching to help Rory up.

 _ **"Separately."** _ She stressed, earning an eye roll from him after accepting his helping hand.

"Oh please, you wish you could be all over me." They made for the door before Sam could turn.

"Hey, Dean?" He called out, causing Dean to come to a soft stop just behind Rory who looked over her shoulder at them and reached for the knob.

"What I said earlier, about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry-" Dean stopped him before he could go any further, holding up a hand, earning a smile from Rory. She lived for moments like these between them two, the ones where they were willing to put their differences aside and realize what's important.

"No chick-flick moments." He stated with a smirk. Rory shook her head in amusement, and gladly welcomed the lightness in the room. Sam laughed and nodded.

"All right. Jerk." He countered.

"Bitch." Dean matched.

"Grow up." Rory joined in with the playful roll of her eyes before pulling open the door and stepping outside, just about over the situation. Her head was killing her. Sam laughed again as Dean went to follow Rory out of the door.


	7. Woman In White Pt III

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **Motel Room**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 2nd, 2005**

Rory had been set up in her own motel room next to John's, contrary to what Sam and Dean had to say about leaving her alone while she was concussed. She had to reassure them that she was fine enough to look after herself by telling them to shove off. She'd been doing fine for months alone, and she made sure to throw Dean a look when she brought up the fact, ultimately causing the boys to back down. It was just next door anyhow, in room number nine, and she felt her privacy was well deserved after being forced off a bridge. The events of the last few days were beginning to catch up to her.

She moved swiftly across the room, her hair hanging damp and wavy down her back and shoulders as she carried a cup of fresh coffee she'd made for herself before hopping in the shower. She hummed after taking her first sip, not able to remember the last time she'd felt so rejuvenated. Thankfully the headache was beginning to die down, and her vision had cleared after a while. She was sure by the end of the day, she'd be back to normal and concussion free. All she wanted to do for now was finish this case.

Her hand reached out to grab her cellphone that she'd left to charge on the bed, and checked it for any messages.

"Crud." She cursed seeing that Bobby had called twice. It was one thing that she hadn't called in a couple of days, but she knew it meant trouble anytime he had to call her. He hated worrying about her and she knew that. Quickly, she pressed the send button and put the phone to her ear, stealing another sip of her hot beverage.

 _"_ _You better explain why it took you so long to call, Aurora."_ His voice was stern and lacked its usual softness that he used only when talking to her.

"I know, I know…Please don't kill me." She cringed, setting her coffee down and running her free hand through her damp tresses. The last thing she wanted was to be on the receiving end of her father's wrath. It was anything but pleasant and she had witnessed it's victims before her, including John Winchester himself. That was another day she'd never forgotten.

 _"_ _I'm debating. Where've you been?"_ Bobby questioned, demanding a reasonable answer. He'd been waiting patiently for her phone call to let him know that she was still alive and well like he did anytime she was away on a hunt, or just off in some town somewhere with Dean painting it red. He was well aware of their relationship, and depended on the older Winchester to take good care of his daughter while he couldn't. It'd been six months since they'd seen each other, and it was her fault. She just knew better than to go home without an explanation as to where Dean was and why the hell he'd left her alone in a town they had no business being in. Bobby would murder the boy had he found out, so she'd kept it a secret, and instead spent the last six months town hopping and enjoying the sights. She even made sure to send Dean a text letting him know that her father was still under the impression that they were together, before she'd given up looking for him.

"Around?" She answered nervously, not exactly finding it easy to lie to her guardian.

 _"_ _And you mean to tell me not you or Dean could pick up a damn phone and call to let me know you were still breathing? I have to settle for dead silence? For seven months?!"_ Bobby roared.

"Six...actually." She'd corrected, instantly regretting it and slapping her palm to her forehead.

 _"_ _Aurora Ariel Singer, if you're not back in Sioux Falls by the end'a tomorrow, I'm-"_

"I can't leave Dad. I'm…I'm working a case." She cut him off before he could finish his threat. She didn't think she had the stomach to hear the rest of it. The vibration of the phone against her ear forced her to pull it away and check for the alert as it came through. She'd seen that it was a text from Dean.

 **"** **Hungry? Hector's treat :)"**

Rory rolled her eyes.

"Hold on." She cut off her father, not even awaiting a response before she started tapping a reply to Dean turning down his offer, not in the mood for food. She pushed send and quickly placed the phone back to her ear.

"Sorry. You were saying?-"

 _"_ _What case? Where the hell are you?"_ Bobby interrogated further, no longer having the patience to deal with her.

"We're in Jericho, after a Woman in White." She answered quickly, never again wanting to make the man wait.

 _"_ _And where the hell is Dean? Why the hell hasn't he answered my calls either?"_ He continued, wanting to get down to the bottom of his daughter's absence. He'd been worried sick about her for months on end, never feeling a text message was enough to settle the bad feeling in his chest that something was wrong with her. He was angry and annoyed with the Winchester, just like he was with John, and it didn't help that he felt like Aurora was hiding something from him just to cover their asses.

"He's-out grabbing food for Sammy and I-" The realization of her words slammed into her, and she slapped yet another palm over her face.

 _"_ _Sam? Sam's with you? I thought that idjit ditched the others for college-"_

"He did." She frowned not really liking behind reminded.

" _And now he's working a case with you two?" Bobby spoke, suspicion lacing his tone._

"Just for a couple of days." She let him know, only able to imagine how crazy this all sounded.

 _"_ _How come?"_

"He's got a thing on Monday." She explained shortly, not really wanting to go into details.

 _"_ _Right…"_ Bobby sighed. The line had gone silent, and Rory could feel his worry leaking through the receiver for her.

"I promise everything's okay Dad, and I'm sorry for not keeping in touch lately. A lot's been going on what with the saving people and hunting things." She chuckled, combing her fingers through her drying, gold tresses before moving to the rip in the knee of her jeans to absently pull away at a loose string.

 _"_ _As soon as you finish that case, you head home y'hear?"_ He ordered, his tone softening just a bit. Rory sighed, knowing this demand was coming. It'd been too long since they'd last seen in each other, he needed real proof to make sure she was okay, and she understood that. With the world they lived in, he could've been talking to an impostor for all he knew. And Rory knew better than to argue. Like Dean, she'd do anything for her father too.

"Love you too pops. I'll uh, be home soon."

 _"_ _Be safe."_

She'd just hung up when there was a knocking sound that had rang out into the room. Her eyes darted around while her body hopped up into a readied stance with her hand at her dresser, reaching for her Beretta as she moved towards the bathroom, where the sound seemed to be coming from. It had stopped after the first knock, and though anyone else would've probably blown it off as a pebble hitting the window, Rory knew better. Slowly she removed the safety on her gun, the click sounding off in the quiet as she kicked open the bathroom door with her gun pointed straight ahead ready to shoot the possible intruder. She relaxed when no one was there, and her eyes instantly carried themselves up to the tiny window above the sink where she found none other than Sam outside of it, an urgent expression written across his features. She reached up to slide the window wide open.

"What's going on? Where's Dean?" She asked in a low tone, keeping in mind that Sam would've just knocked the front door had this been a normal situation. She guessed something was going down, and since Dean was nowhere in sight, that it was more serious than she thought.

* * *

Dean groaned as he was slammed chest first into the hood of the deputy vehicle. He could only pray that Sam had gotten himself and Rory out of there in time.

"You have the right to remain silent—"

* * *

 **Welch House**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 2** **nd** **, 2005**

"We need a better plan." Rory spoke aloud as she spoke to Sam on speakerphone as it sat in the holster she had taken out of her glove compartment.

 _"What do you mean? Talking to the husband sounds like a good enough plan to me."_

"Yeah, but Dean's in jail Sam, we can't just leave him there. There's a murderous spirit in town killing men, what cop is gonna believe him when he tries to plead not guilty?" Rory argued.

 _"Rore, we've gotta figure this thing out and find dad before it's too late. Dean'll be fine. He told us to do this-"_

"Since when do you do what he asks?" She scoffed, raising a brow when the line went quiet.

"Sounds like Stepford made you soft Sammy." She teased with a smirk.

 _"It's Stanford…_ _You have a better plan?"_ Rory smirked and tapped the wheel in deep thought, desperately matching up different scenarios in her head until she came up on one that made sense.

"There's something we're missing, obviously. So head over to Welch's place, see what more you can dig up about his wife, like where they lived or where she was buried, and then text me the address once you find out and I'll meet you there." She directed, feeling a little out of place being the one to give orders now. She'd never really been comfortable with taking the reins on a case, not when it came to the boys. They hardly ever listened, but she hoped that Sam would on this one since it seemed that this plan was practically the only one that would work out.

 _"_ _What are you gonna do?"_ Sam asked. Rory chewed on the inside of her cheek before painting on a smirk.

"What I do best Sammy. Distract." She answered earning a sigh from Sam.

"Call me when you got something." She said before hanging up, and punching three all too familiar digits into her phone before pushing the send button.

* * *

Night had fallen and Rory pulled up on the side of the road near the back alley behind the police department where Dean had been brought in earlier. He'd had to have broken out by now. Her prank call to the authorities was enough to get most of the squad out of the building so that he could find a way out. She could only imagine the irritation he was dealing with while being locked up for questioning, and found herself smirking with amusement. It was unbelievable sometimes, how they wound up in these situations.

A message beeped, cutting through the silence and she read the screen. It was from Sam, most likely about what he'd found out about Constance along with the address of her old residence. She went to open it-

 _"_ _Sam? Sam!"_ A shout rung out from somewhere up ahead. Her eyes fled towards the familiar voice filled with worry, and found none other than Dean himself in a telephone booth looking about ready to jump through the phone as he stared at it with wide eyes. She put the car in drive and drove over to him, concern filling her to the brim as she pulled up beside him, honking the horn once. Dean practically flew out of the booth and raced into the car.

"Sammy's in trouble." He told her, stashing the object in his hand in the glove compartment.

"Is that John's journal? What's going on? Where is he?" She questioned, mind racing with worry now. For as long as she could remember, wherever John went, his journal went. For him to have left it behind was definitely unlike him.

 ** _If it's not one thing, it's the other,_** she thought.

"Dad ditched Jericho, and he left us coordinates. And Sam was headed to the old Welch's house, he told me just before the line went dead that he texted you the address, d'you get it?" He asked in a hurry to get to his brother, unable to mask his emotions. Rory had already punched the car into gear and headed for the highway while trying to process everything going on. It was a little harder than normal, given she still had a concussion looming over her head, but she digressed.

"Uh yeah I was just about to open it when I found you." She replied, reaching to open the text that Sam had sent her.

"Here. 28946 Breckenridge Road." She pointed to the first line of the message before punching in the address into her car's navigation system.

"Punch it." Dean instructed. Rory did just that, not bothering to waste any more time while her Sam was in trouble. The silence was deafening, and driving Dean insane. He had to speak up before the suspense killed him.

"So, fake 9-1-1 phone call huh? I don't know Angel that sounds pretty illegal." Dean quirked, trying to busy his mind from focusing on what horrible things were probably happening to his brother. He was doing his best to get there, but he had to acknowledge that he was able to do that at all thanks to Rory. He glanced at her, seeing the uneasy look on her side profile. He knew she was worried too, Sam was like the little brother she'd never had. She cracked the smallest of smirks.

"Illegal is my way of life Dean, you know that." She glanced at him, tossing him a wink to which he smirked at in return.

"Damn right I do." He smiled, going over all the times he and Rory would wind up in trouble over doing something illegal. It was her idea majority of the time.

"You pick the lock on the cuffs?" She asked, wondering how exactly he'd escaped, knowing they probably had him chained to a wall or a desk.

"Damn right I did." He grinned proudly.

"Nice." She grinned.

"…Thanks." He told her, grateful for having her in his life. He'd kiss her right now if that were appropriate. There were many occasions where he wasn't sure where he'd end up without her by his side, and other occasions while he was alone, where he beat himself up for ever leaving her behind for several months.

"An apology ** _and_** a thank you in a span of two days? What have you done with Dean Winchester?-"

"Shut up." Dean chuckled with the shake of his head, earning soft laughter from the young blonde.

"Let's just save this damsel in distress." She said, stepping heavier on the gas pedal.

* * *

 **68946 Breckenridge Road**

 **Jericho, CA**

 **November 2** **nd** **, 2005**

"I see em'." Rory pointed out through the bushes as she and Dean hid quietly out of sight. Up ahead in they spotted the Impala sitting idle in the lot of Constance's old abandoned home. She cradled her shotgun securely, with one hand on the stock that was welded against her cheek, while the other held the grip behind the trigger. She made sure to hold it gently, like her father had taught her time and time again.

"Wait for my mark." Dean whispered next to her, his body positioned almost exactly like Rory's, if not a little less correct due to his size of weapon and eagerness to get to his brother, but he knew he had to wait for the perfect moment for them to strike.

 _At least Baby's okay, and Sam too,_ he thought.

She pulled the butt of the gun tight into her shoulder snuggly, holding her hands in position and rotated the gun up. She could see the movement in the car, but not entirely, as her vision was still playing slight tricks on her due to the fading concussion. She squinted harder trying to get a better view when Sam's cries broke out into the night. Both she and Dean jumped up into action, sprouting out from the bushes in a sprint towards the Impala. They'd skidded to a stop on either side of the impala with Rory outside the passenger side and Dean on the drivers' side, just in time to see Constance fingers burning deep holes inside of Sam's chest. His screams were deafening, and almost too much for Rory to bare, causing her to fire the first shot in a way that wouldn't nick Dean. The windows shattered, seemingly startling Constance who turned to glare at Rory, who'd grimaced at her ghostly appearance as the spirit vanished. Rory lowered her aim just as Constance reappeared again.

"Outta the way!" Dean directed Rory who jumped out of the way before he could fire at the ghost. She jogged around the car to his side as he emptied his clip in Constance until she disappeared. Sam having had enough of it all, sat up in his seat and turned the key in the ignition with a look of determination in his eyes.

"I'm taking you home." He growled punching the gas causing the car to practically jump forward towards the old house leaving Rory and Dean to stare after him in horror.

"Sam no!" Rory yelled after him as the youngest Winchester smashed through the side of the house.

"Sam!" Dean cried out before hurrying through the wreckage over to the passenger side of the Impala, with Rory hot on his heels.

"Sam! Sam! You okay?" Dean asked, finding Sam sitting in mild shock in the car, seemingly okay. He rushed to help his brother from the wreck while Rory kept an eye out for Constance, holding her gun cocked and ready.

"Can you move?" She heard Dean ask, looking over her shoulder to see for herself if he was in fact okay. Dean was leaning through the window to help pull him out. She felt the relief spread throughout her as she turned to face forward again finding Constance there in front of her with a dark glare in her eyes.

"Why so serious?" She greeted dryly, still bitter over the mild concussion she'd gotten all because she decided to hijack Dean's car. The ghost continued to stare with rage as it held the large framed photo of herself and a couple of children Rory was presuming were hers. If there was one thing Rory could ever count on to land her into trouble, it was her smart mouth.

Once Dean and Sam had caught their bearings, they seemed to realize what all the silence was about facing Rory only to find her face to face with the spirit.

"Rory." Dean called for her, not wanting to make any sudden movements, but it only seemed to take the sound of his voice to get Constance's attention. She slammed the picture down, breaking it against the floor before stepping out of the way so that she could send a large bureau sliding towards the hunters, causing Rory to lose grip on her weapon as she stumbled back in between the boys. It wasn't long before the bureau was pinning them up against the car.

"Agh!" Rory groaned at the pressure against her abdomen as she and the boys tried with all their strength to free themselves. The strain automatically sending a shooting pain through her head, and an indescribable image flashing through her mind, causing her to stop her efforts and lean forward onto the dresser for support.

"Rory?!" Sam called, but she waved him off.

"I'm good!" She panted and blinked until her vision cleared, wondering what the hell had just taken place inside her head, while also hating that she had been the one to be looked after during this case. She was rarely ever the injured one, that was Dean.

Meanwhile, Constance looked around, scared as water began to pour down the staircase. Curiosity carried her over to them and at the top are a boy and girl. Rory squinted as she recognized them from the photograph.

"You've come home to us, Mommy." They spoke in unison, linking their hands together. The hunters looked back and forth between the spirits, noticing Constance's distraught expression. And then suddenly they'd appeared behind her, embracing her tightly causing a scream to leave her lips and her figure to flicker. Rory cringed, holding her ears and looking away from the scene while the boys looked on intrigued, witnessing the spirits burst into a surge of energy and melt into a puddle on the floor, the pressure on their abdomen easing up as the ghosts were put to rest. Sam and Dean shoved the bureau over, nearly causing Rory to fall over from exhaustion, but Dean was quick to grab her around the shoulder. She straightened up after a moment signaling that she was okay after he'd asked, and slowly made her way over to the spot where Constance and her children had vanished.

"So this is where she drowned her kids." Dean spoke earning a head nod from Sam.

"That's why she could never go home. She was too scared to face them." He answered.

"At least they're at rest now." Rory added.

"You found her weak spot. Nice work, Sammy." Dean cracked, slapping Sam on the chest where he was injured, and followed behind Rory as she walked away to lean against the Impala for support. Sam laughed through the pain, thinking how much he never wanted to feel that kind of pain again.

"Yeah, I wish I could say the same for you two. What were you thinking shooting Casper in the face, you freak?" He quipped.

"Hey. Saved your ass." Dean countered as he gave his car a once over, praying to God that the damage wasn't too bad.

"I'll tell you another thing. If you screwed up my car?" He turned to look over his shoulder at his brother while Rory hung head in exhaustion, running a hand through her hair.

"I'll kill you." He finished as Sam laughed and made his way to stand in front of Rory, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked giving her a good look to make sure she was okay. He knew how hard all the action must've been on her concussion. She straightened up, taking in a deep breath with a smirk as she looked over his injuries.

"Just another day on the job." She smirked, smacking his chest causing Sam to double over with a cough as he laughed in pain.

"I don't get paid enough for this shit." She breathed as she made to walk through the rubble and out of the wrecked home, leaving the boys behind to clean up shop. She needed to catch her breath.

* * *

Sam had Rory on speakerphone as the Impala tore down the road with her following close in second in her Mustang. She had to laugh when she'd seen that the right headlight in his car was out, and she'd nearly cried of laughter when Dean had noticed. He nearly lost his mind.

Sam had their father's journal open to the page with the coordinates he'd left them that read **"35-111"** , and had a map open on his lap so that he could match the coordinates with a ruler while holding a flashlight between his chin and shoulder.

"Okay, here's where Dad went."

 _"_ _What's on the docket today?"_ Rory's voice rang soulfully through the phone. She wasn't exactly sure about what happened back at the abandoned house, but she was finding it hard to push it aside. For as small as it was, it just seemed so much more than out of the ordinary, and for her, out of the ordinary was never lead to anything good.

"It's called Blackwater Ridge, Colorado." Sam answered, pulling her out of her mind. Meanwhile, Dean nodded and kept his focus on the road, yet still tried to pay attention.

"Sounds charming. How far?" He asked.

"About six hundred miles." Sam answered. Rory frowned. There was no way they could cover six hundred miles with Sam and get him back home in time for his interview. Which meant their time together was coming to a close. The frown settled comfortably on her lips.

 _This is gonna kill Dean,_ she thought.

 _"Hey, if we shag ass we could make it by morning."_ Dean spoke, causing Rory to sigh on the other end of the line. He'd heard it, but chose to ignore it, knowing she would have something to say had he acknowledged it. Sam threw him a look of hesitation.

The silence on the line made Rory grow nervous as she glanced at her phone, waiting for something to be said, anything.

"Dean, I, um..." Sam started. Dean threw him a glance.

"You're not going." He put together.

 _"The interview's in like, ten hours. I gotta be there."_ Sam spoke with what sounded like regret to Rory. She glanced straight ahead out of the windshield where she could see the backs of the Winchesters in their car.

Dean nodded in disappointment, and turned his attention back onto the road.

 _"Yeah. Yeah, whatever."_ He answered, Rory sighed, ducking her head for a moment before gluing her eyes back on the road in front of her.

Dean threw a look at Sam.

 _"I'll take you home."_ Rory heard through the line, and when it went dead she sighed.

"I knew this was a bad idea." She shook her head, pushing the on button to her radio to fill the silence. She needed a distraction to keep her from falling asleep at the wheel.

* * *

 **Stanford University**

 **Stanford, CA**

 **November 2nd 2005**

Rory pulled up in the spot a little ways up from the boys in the parking lot outside of Sam's apartment, given there was no other space. She shut off the engine with a light groan and exited the car swiftly, glancing up at the building as she started her walk over to the Impala that Sam had just gotten out of, imagining just who this girlfriend of his could be and what it must be like living a normal life. Her feet had all of a sudden come to a full stop, pausing her journey over to the boys. She wasn't sure why, or what had caused it, but the feeling in her gut wasn't letting her move. She turned and faced the building window of Sam's apartment, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Sam leaned over to look through the window of the Impala at his brother who had a set frown on his lips. He knew he wasn't happy about them parting, but he wanted Dean to understand that hunting wasn't a part of his life anymore, and if it was, it definitely wasn't the most important. He glanced over at Rory who he saw staring up at his building from the short distance, he followed her gaze but saw nothing, so thought nothing of it, and turned back to Dean.

"Call me if you find him?" He spoke, and Dean nodded yes.

As if releasing her, the feeling let up and she felt her stomach relax again. She breathed, trying to remain calm as she blinked her gaze away from the window. It was like she was in a trance, unable to divert her attention away from his apartment. That's when her head began to throb again.

"What the hell kind of concussion is this?" She whispered to herself reaching up to hold her temple as she peeled away from her spot and continued her walk towards the Impala to say her goodbyes, making a mental note to get checked out at the hospital on the way out of Stanford.

"And maybe I can meet up with you later, huh?" She heard Sam say as she leaned up against the hood next to him.

"Yeah, all right." Dean answered shortly. He didn't want to say goodbye. Not to Sam and definitely not to Rory. He wasn't sure how he'd tackle her, but he knew he'd have to sooner than later

Sam pat the car door twice as a bid goodbye to his older brother before he straightened up and looked over to Rory. She pushed the weird feeling aside so that she could be in the moment, painting a sweet smile on her lips as she tilted her head up at the tall man before her.

"Just when you think you're out, we pull ya back in again." She quipped with a teasing smirk, pushing off the car to walk into Sam's open arms for a tight embrace. Sam gave a hearty chuckle.

"I'm actually gonna miss you." He rocked them a couple times before releasing her. Rory held him at the shoulders.

"You didn't before?" She tipped a brow earning a wide smile from Sam.

"Take care of that head." He said before throwing a glance Dean's way. He was sitting still inside of his car, eyes faced forward with a pout on his lips while he waited patiently for them.

"And take care of Dean. Whether you like him right now, or not." He said, looking back at her. Rory smirked, noting the seriousness beneath his tone.

"I'll try for as long as I'm deemed valid." She winked letting him go and watched him walk off. Dean leaned forward towards the passenger window and Rory stole her chance to peak in and deliver a look at him telling him to speak then, or forever hold his peace. He breathed, answering her with a short nod.

"Meet me at my car." She spoke low, wanting to give him his space to get everything off his chest with his brother. Her eyes fled up to the window once more as she walked away, and she squinted in suspicion, fighting against her urge to race up and check the place out herself just to be sure nothing was out of the ordinary. Besides, she needed to figure out what she was gonna say to Dean when it was time.

 _"_ _Sam?"_ She heard distantly as she walked further away.

* * *

Not even a minute after Rory gotten into the car, Dean had pulled up beside hers. She tore her gaze away from the window to look over at Dean who turned off his engine and got out to walk over to her as she too exited her car.

"I think something's going on up there." She rushed, practically tripping over words. Dean's eyes flashed to concern and confusion.

"What? Why?" He asked, following her gaze to the window. Rory couldn't fight against the urge anymore, and took off towards the building in a quick walk, leaving Dean puzzled and confused.

"I just feel it! Come on!" She pressed moving towards Sam's fire escape. Dean moved in a hurry to catch up, not at all understanding where this urgency had arisen from, but he knew better than to go against Rory's gut feelings. She was always right when it came to her gut feeling. Every time.

 _"_ _No!"_ They heard Sam's voice boom through the cracked window that Dean had broken into when they first picked him up, causing them to break into a run. Dean quickly passed Rory on the way up kicking down the front door once they'd reached his apartment.

"Sam!" Dean cried out searching for the trouble as Rory raced passed him to his bedroom where she could swear the yelling was coming from. The heat never went unnoticed as they made their way deeper inside the apartment, and the smoke was only more alarming.

 _"_ _Jess!"_

"Sam! Sam!" Dean yelled when he found Rory frozen with shock, eyes up at the ceiling staring at the burning flesh pinned to it, being eaten alive by the raging fire. He knew it was Jess.

"No! No!" Sam screamed, the tears running down his cheeks as he cried for his girlfriend. Rory snapped out of it then, running over to help Dean pull and shove Sam out of there before they all died. Sam struggled to leave his girlfriend behind, the pain and grief evident in his face, evoking fresh tears to fall from Rory's eyes.

"Jess! Jess! No!" He protested. She was sorry this had to happen to him, and luckily they were able to pull themselves out before the flames could engulf them all.

Rory stood in the crowd of witnesses and gawkers, lost in her own head as she watched the authorities do their best to diffuse the flames. Dean stood with a stoney expression in the crowd next to her, his mind flashing back to the night his mother died. He couldn't ignore the déjà vu, but for Sam's sake, he would.

He threw a worried glance down at Rory who stood quiet in the crowd next to him. She'd been mute ever since they'd gotten Sam out, and he couldn't help but feel concern for her. Somehow she knew that something was wrong, like she did every other time before something really bad happened. It made him think of all the other times she would claim to have the same gut feeling, ultimately saving either his or her life back when they hunted together. It didn't change anything about her, and he didn't look at her any different. It just made him wonder how. He made note to check up on her and ask about it later.

But first, Sam.

He rested a hand on Rory's shoulder signaling her to come with him before he turned and walked back to his car where his brother stood behind the open trunk loading a shotgun. Dean looked at the trunk, and then at Sam who wore a face of desperation what Rory could identify as anger. Dean could see that this was changing him already. This life, had officially broken him. That much was obvious in the way Sam grieved before them. He wanted revenge, and Dean would make sure he got just that.

Rory couldn't imagine what it must've felt like for him to go through that, lose his girlfriend, lose what he thought was the life he'd always wanted. And from what she could remember her father telling her, the boys had been in a situation like this before.

It nearly startled her when he looked up and met her eyes for a brief moment, and she blinked, causing him to sigh, nod, and toss the shotgun into the trunk as the tears rolled down his cheeks. She wanted to say something, anything to take away the pain.

"We got work to do." Sam said as he shut the trunk.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1\. "Highway To Hell" - AC/DC**

* * *

 **Hey y'all! Just checking in! Letting you guys know that htere will be some adds where I don't bother to write any author notes just because I'm super eager for you all to cut to the next chapter. I'm sure that'll change once I start getting reviews though! I'll be shouting you out and whatnot through my notes, so hopefully that happens soon :) Leave your love, lemme know what you guys think so far! Don't be shy! I accept all critiques!**

 **Happy reading! Stay tuned for more!**

 **xo**


	8. Wendigo Pt I

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **Lost Creek**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 10th, 2005**

"Hey. It's me…" Rory started, not at all sure how to carry through. She bit her bottom lip as nerves filled her, her eyes straight ahead in the open road in front of her and the Impala in full view.

"Calling live from Colorado." She continued as she drove by the scenery. It'd been a week since Sam lost his girlfriend. Things were…tense. Bobby wasn't the least bit happy with her decision to stay with the boys a little longer, Dean was constantly hovering over his brother, and Sam was about a second away from having a mental breakdown.

"Look, I don't know what's goin' on. If-if this is some mastermind goose chase practice hunt you've got us on…but if it is, you need to let me know right now. Because it's not funny. And I can take it if it's something serious." Rory spoke into the silence of her car as she left a voicemail for the boys' father.

"D'you hear me John? The boys…they're lost without you. And you playing whack-a-mole right now isn't helping in the least bit. Sam lost his girlfriend, it's just-" She passed her tongue over her bottom lip, sighing before she continued.

"It's messy right now. There's a lot going on. And I don't know how much longer I can stick around to look after em'. I've got my own issues to deal with right now. I just-…need your help in making sure these idiots will be okay without me. 'Cause eventually, I gotta head back to Sioux Falls before dad sends out a search party." She chuckled lamely. Bobby had her head the moment she called to tell him she wouldn't be able to return when he'd been expecting her to. Not with the funeral in the way. It was quiet, and small and set in Palo Alto, of course she heard through Sam since she thought it was more appropriate if she and Dean stayed in the car while it went on, but from what she could see ways away from the car, she was loved by many. Peers and family were all gathered around to bury her.

She found herself wondering who'd show up for her at her funeral.

"So, if you can just come out, come out wherever you are…that'd be gr–" the sound of the beep cut her off mid-sentence.

She sighed, hoping he'd answer her at some point. Though she highly doubted it, but it never hurt to try. Whatever John was doing, Rory decided shouldn't have been more important than the sanity of his children. Sam was a mess and Dean wasn't far behind from becoming one during the search for him. It was too much, and Rory was growing very annoyed with John like she always had whenever he decided that hunting was more important than his family.

She had words for him when they finally found him.

* * *

Sam jerked awake in his seat next to Dean in the impala. He looked over at his little brother in concern, watching him blink and run the sleep out of his eyes.

"You okay?" He asked, officially losing count of how many times he's asked already.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Rory?" Sam tried to divert the attention away from himself, not wanting to feel it anymore, and looked over his shoulder out of the window seeing her Mustang hot on their heels. He noticed how much quieter she'd become over the last few days, and it was obvious something was on her mind. His had just been so cluttered with grief that he hadn't found the moment to ask about hers. He hoped his brother would grow the sense to do it soon.

"She's cool. Mostly worried about Bobby having her ass for not coming home. He's worried about her." Dean filled in.

"Why?" Sam asked in curiosity, glancing behind them through the side-view mirror. He couldn't really see her face, but he imagined the worried look etched upon Rory's face. He knew how Bobby could be.

"Hasn't been home in a while." Dean shrugged, not really wanting to go into detail about it. He'd felt bad enough for practically begging her to stay a few days back when he'd found her in her motel room debating with herself whether or not she'd leave them or not.

"And when you say 'a while' you mean since you ditched her?" Sam corrected.

"She told you." The older Winchester spoke lowly, slightly embarrassed with himself. He could only expect his brother to give him an ear full of scolding.

"No, you just did." Sam answered, eyeing his older brother closely for any sign of emotion, but he was quick to mask his true feeling.

"...Another nightmare?" Dean changed the subject. Sam cleared his throat, completely ignoring the question just as Dean had moments ago.

"...You wanna drive for a while?" He asked, thinking maybe that'd lighten his mood a little.

"Dean, your whole life you never once asked me that." Sam chuckled in slight confusion.

"Just thought you might want to. Never mind." Dean returned, feelings slightly hurt. He imagined Rory would've been much better company in that moment, and found himself missing the sound of her voice after just a few hours of driving, but quickly shook it off.

 ** _Don't be a bitch_.** He thought.

"Look, man, you guys are worried about me. I get it, and thank you, but I'm perfectly okay." Sam made sure to tell him. As much as he appreciated the hovering coming from Dean and Rory over the last few days, he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to take it before he had a meltdown.

"Mm-hm." Dean hummed, not believing him for a second. Sam decided for the time being, that he was done trying to convince them and would settle for the matter at hand for now. Finding their father.

"All right, where are we?" He asked.

* * *

 **Lost Creek Trail, Lost Creek National Forest**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 10th, 2005**

They'd finally arrived at the ranger station in Lost Creek, Colorado. Rory was instantly filled with a feeling the moment they'd arrived, and it wasn't good, which was weird for her, given she usually highly enjoyed being around Mother Nature. Some days she even craved it. She'd realized after a short time of entering Lost Creek, that the coordinates John had sent them to were located in the middle of nowhere.

"So, Blackwater Ridge is pretty remote." Sam spoke while eyeing the three dimensional map of the area as they stood inside of the station, eyeing the different pictures and decor set up on display all over the walls. Rory stood next to Dean, staring in disgust at the photo of the dead wild grizzly bear on the wall.

"It's cut off by these canyons here, rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place." He continued, though Rory and Dean found it pretty difficult paying attention to anything that was said while being faced with what was in front of them.

"Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean voiced earning Sam's attention. He straightened up and walked over to the two, taking his place next to Rory while she stared on.

"And a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It's no nature hike, that's for sure." Sam continued. Rory shook her head slightly.

"I hate that he's so proud about killing something so beautiful." She voiced sad for the poor creature, causing Dean to glance down at her with a frown. He knew how much Rory loved animals and Mother Nature. Growing up he'd watched her, fascinated with how nurturing she was towards them. It was like she was Mother Nature herself sometimes.

"Hopefully he had good reason." He said, trying to soothe her somehow, like he'd always done in moments like these. She glanced up at him for a moment, fixing to speak.

"You boys aren't planning on going out near Blackwater Ridge by any chance?" A voice spoke from behind them, startling them and causing them to spin on their heels. There stood an older man, worn in the face, and dressed in full uniform. He was a ranger.

"Oh, no, sir, we're environmental study majors from UC Boulder, just working on a paper." Sam was quick on his feet to make up on excuse, chuckling a little while Rory painted on a pleasant smile, and Dean grinned and rose his fist to the air.

"Recycle man." He cheered, causing Rory to mentally slap herself.

 ** _Great, now we're officially the shittiest hunters around,_** she thought, noting the suspicious look in the ranger's eye. She read the tag, _'Wilkinson'_.

"Bull." He pointed out with his mug causing them all to stiffen. Rory thought fast.

"You're friends with that Haley girl, right?" The ranger asked, and Rory quickly considered his words before moving into action.

"Yes. Yes, we are, Ranger Wilkinson." She smiled politely, moving up towards him with Dean close behind.

 ** _That was close_** _,_ he thought.

"Well I will tell you exactly what we told her. Her brother filled out a back-country permit saying he wouldn't be back from Blackwater until the twenty-fourth, so it's not exactly a missing persons now, is it?" Wilkinson spoke. Dean shook his head whilst Rory thought absently about how stupid law enforcement was nowadays.

"You tell that girl to quit worrying, I'm sure her brother's just fine." He continued.

"We will." Dean replied, earning a head shake from Rory that went unnoticed by the ranger.

"Well, that Haley girl's quite a pistol, huh?" The older Winchester continued earning a tipped brow from Rory. She squinted in suspicion, but went along with it anyway, seeing that she had no better plan to get the ranger to tell them anymore at the moment.

"That is putting it mildly." He answered, and Rory found herself fighting against the urge to roll her eyes. Just witnessing Dean talk about other women in front of her made her wonder just who else he'd encountered over the time they'd been apart. She wanted to curse him out, and then curse herself out for acting so out of character. She never used to be the jealous type, not until she realized that it was a possibility that he left her for someone else. It took her all of six months to finally be okay with that, and it annoyed her to see that just after the mention of another woman's name, he was able to evoke these feelings of jealousy within her again and wipe away all of her hard work of getting over him in the span of two minutes.

 ** _Clearly the feelings you thought were gone, aren't._ ** She thought bitterly.

"Actually you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date." Dean continued, pulling Rory out of her head for the time being. The ranger eyed him closely, and Dean raised his eyebrows in return.

Rory followed third in line behind the boys as they exited the station and headed towards their vehicles. Somehow, Dean was able to score the permit, even after saying what he'd said.

"What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?" Sam asked, following close behind his brother. There was an urgency in his voice that Rory was able to pick up on causing her to throw her gaze on him as they fell into step with each other.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, not exactly sure where the sudden hostility was coming from.

"The coordinates point to Blackwater Ridge, so what are we waiting for? Let's just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?" Sam spoke, the frustration leaking from his lips as they both rounded the car and stopped on opposite sides of the Impala. Rory stood by the trunk which faced the hood of her Mustang, her eyes darting between the two boys.

"I don't know, maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it?" Dean spoke with sarcasm, his eyes giving a look to which Rory chuckled at under her breath, but when she caught Sam's eyes, she stopped instantly.

"What?" He asked her, glaring.

"Since when are you all shoot first ask questions later, anyway?" Dean intervened before Rory could say anything smart.

"I'm just gonna head over to a motel. Get us some rooms. You guys head over to Haley's, see what you can find." She cut in, earning a look from Dean. He seemed hesitant at first, but nodded soon after.

"Since now." Sam answered, ignoring Rory's announcement and turned away. Dean met Rory's eyes for a moment, holding all of his amusement in them as Sam opened his door and got in the car. Rory shrugged and continued on to her car leaving the boys to argue behind her.

"Long as I'm not involved." She whispered to herself.

 _"Really? Hm."_ She could hear the teasing humor in Dean's voice before she shut her door, and playfully rolled her eyes as she got into her car and started the engine.

"This'll be a good one." She voiced to herself, reaching out to press the knob on her radio, bringing her car to life with the sound of Sam Roberts' "I Feel You".

* * *

 **Hayley Collin's House**

 **November 10** **th** **, 2005**

Rory got a text from none other than Dean, waking her from her cat nap and telling her to meet them at the local bar, just a five minute drive up the road from the motel. She gladly accepted the invite, in the mood for a little leisure time, not having partied since her time in Vegas, and had just arrived when she spotted Dean and Sam settling down at their assigned table. She sauntered over, locking eyes with the many gentlemen she managed to squeeze passed on the way. She flipped the charm switch on, offering up sly smirks and tossing winks as she made her way, slipping by a waitress carrying a tray of beer for her customers.

"Do you mind sending over three of those to that table over there when you get a chance? Thanks." She asked the young woman who smirked tightly and offered a nod her way.

"Howdy boys!" Rory slid into the booth just a second after Sam did, on the opposite side, making her presence known. Dean's eyes lit up at the sight of her. She looked rejuvenated there in front of him, her grey-green eyes way brighter than before, and her hair sitting pretty on top of her head in a messy bun while she sported a red flannel and camisole underneath her leather jacket along with a pair of dark denim.

"You look well rested." Dean commented, sending a smirk her way. He loved the look. He could stare at her all day. Hayley had nothing on her.

"Thanks, you look like shit." She winked, earning a snort from Sam. She turned her eyes unto him and threw him a wink too to which he smiled softly at.

"Funny." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Fill me in, Sammy." She said.

"So, Blackwater Ridge doesn't get a lot of traffic. Local campers, mostly. But still, this past April, two hikers went missing out there. They were never found." Sam started. Rory's interest peeked immediately. Missing persons cases were always the exciting cases in her opinion. She watched Sam open his father's journal. She frowned slightly, realizing she still hadn't heard back from the eldest Winchester.

"Any before that?" Dean spoke earning her full attention again. Sam pulled out a newspaper article to show them just after. Rory leaned in and let her eyes roam.

"Yeah, in 1982, eight different people all vanished in the same year. Authorities said it was a grizzly attack."

"Jesus…" Rory commented under her breath as she read the headline.

 _"_ _Hikers disappearance baffle authorities. Families continue search and rescue efforts in spite of disappointing…"_ She continued reading the rest in her head, saddened by the reality of it.

"And again in 1959 and again before that in 1936." Sam continued after pulling out his laptop to pull up more research along with a video.

"This the guy who's missing?" Rory asked aloud, glad to finally be able to put a face to his profile.

"Yeah, that's Tommy." Sam answered.

"Hm. Cute." She stated aloud, gaining Dean's attention as he tossed her a look that she unfortunately caught, but rolled her eyes at.

"Relax." She waved him off, earning an eye roll from him return.

"Every twenty-three years, just like clockwork. Okay. Watch this. Here's a clincher. I downloaded that guy Tommy's video to the laptop. Check this out." Dean and Rory made sure to follow Sam's instruction carefully, ready to catch whatever he had. They watched as he went through three frames of videos one at a time, and immediately picked up on the shadow that crossed the screen.

"Do it again." Dean spoke, and Sam repeated the frames.

"Holy crap." Rory voiced in a whisper.

"That's three frames. That's a fraction of a second. Whatever that thing is, it can move." Sam spoke as if reading her thoughts exactly.

"I'll say." She answered as Dean hit Sam.

"Told you something weird was going on." He spoke, glad to rub it in his younger brothers face.

"Yeah." Sam replied, swallowing his pride and closing his laptop.

"I got one more thing." He spoke, Rory's ears perked as the excitement for the case bubbled in her chest. Whatever this thing they were hunting was, she knew she'd have to be on her A-game. And she didn't mind one bit. Scooting over to Dean to better see the article that Sam had handed to him, she read it carefully.

"In 'fifty-nine one camper survived this supposed grizzly attack. Just a kid. Barely crawled out of the woods alive."

"Lucky kid." Rory spoke, not at all able to imagine what that must've been like.

"Is there a name?" Asked Dean.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1\. "Hot-Blooded" - Foreigner**

 **2\. "I Feel You" - Sam Roberts**

* * *

 **Hello there! Hope you're all enjoying th chapter so far. I personally LOVE the wendigo episode. It's still one of my favorite eps out of all 11 seasons. Anywho, you know the drill! Leave your love!**

 **Until next chapter!**

 **xo**


	9. Wendigo Pt II

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **Motel**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 10th, 2005**

The child from the article, Rory chose to acknowledge by his last name, Shaw, hadn't amounted to much in his senior days. And it was completely understandable. Listening to him speak about the night he'd lost his family, was devastating. Rory's empathy was leaking through the way she looked at him as he spoke, and after showing the hunters his scar, the one given to him by whatever the hell it was that they were hunting was enough to get her to want to run for the door. It left her wanting justice for him and his loved ones. Though it worried her, just by the description, to know exactly what it was they were hunting. Shaw had said it didn't smash a window, or break a door, but unlocked it. No bear in Rory's reality could do that. She and Dean had thought that maybe it could be a skinwalker or maybe even a black dog. Whatever it was, they were able to kill it.

They walked side by side down the dark corridor of the motel later that night, heading towards the parking lot. Once there, Rory stood quietly waiting as Dean opened the trunk of the Impala, propping it open with his shotgun as usual while he dug into the hidden weapon department. He began loading up on guns, tossing them into an old duffel bag. Her eyes flickered over to Sam as he hurried to lean over the trunk to better catch Dean's attention. There was that look in his eye again, the urgent and fiery gaze that couldn't seem to leave him alone.

"We cannot let that Haley girl go out there." He spoke, and Rory found herself agreeing one hundred percent. There was no way she'd let civilians go out into the woods alone while that thing was on the loose.

"Oh yeah? What are we gonna tell her? That she can't go into the woods because of a big scary monster?" Dean countered causing her to think it over.

"We could always give it a shot." Rory voiced.

"Yeah." Sam agreed, earning a look from Dean shot at both of them. Rory shrugged.

"Her brother's missing, guys. She's not gonna just sit this out. Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend." Dean spoke, and Rory knew she couldn't argue. He had a point, there was no way she'd sit around and wait had the roles been reversed.

"Looks like we lose this one Sammy." She pat the younger one's shoulder, making to move as Dean picked up the duffel.

"Finding Dad's not enough?" Sam's voice rang out, the frustration laced in it, causing her to turn and look over her shoulder at him once he'd slammed the weapons box shut and soon after, the trunk. She jumped slightly at the sudden noise.

"Now we gotta babysit too?" Sam spoke harshly. It was insensitive, and totally out of character for him. Rory didn't like what she was witnessing at all.

"Woah, Sam. He's got a point. C'mon, put yourself in their shoes." She tried, actually willing to try and put a stop to this argument before it could start this time around. Meanwhile Dean just continued to hold a hard stare at his younger brother, able to see the anger bubbling over in his eyes.

"What?" Sam asked, voice leaking an attitude. Rory glanced at Dean, seeing the blank look in his eye, yet his body was dripping with reaction. He'd gone tense, his knuckled tight on the bag he held, and she knew he was holding back.

"Nothing." Dean threw back, before throwing the duffel bag at Sam, hitting him in the chest before he could prepare himself, and walked off. Rory sighed, throwing her eyes over to the twenty-two year old who looked as though he wanted to retaliate.

"You need to lighten up." She spoke softly while keeping a hard gaze, shaking her head before she walked off after Dean leaving Sam to look after them.

She sighed walking off, thinking that maybe looking after these boys would be a lot harder than she thought.

* * *

 **National Forest**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 11** **th** **2005**

They pulled up in the Impala the next morning. Rory sitting comfortably in the backseat, a little sour that she had to share a ride with the boys since the tension between them had been so thick lately. She would've much rather being alone in her own car, with her own liberty to leave should things get any worse, but she knew it was best for the job and the real issue at hand.

And besides, it's not like she'd ever find the heart to ever leave those two.

She caught sight of the small group just up ahead, and automatically presumed their identities. Ben, the little brother, Hayley, the pistol, and Ranger dude, the guide.

"Well, they're definitely lucky to have us around to save their asses. No way would they've survived this alone." She voiced, earning a hum of agreement from Dean. Sam had been silent all morning, other than answering simple yeses and no's. Rory was over his mood, and decided that she'd stick with Dean on this one, hopefully giving Sam the space it seemed like he needed from them to grieve. She just prayed Dean didn't spend the entire hunt drooling over how pretty Hayley was, because then, she'd just have to off herself.

As they exited the Impala, Rory grabbed her backpack, one she'd taken from her car, already packed with the necessary equipment whilst Sam grabbed the duffel next to it. He threw her a soft glance, to which Rory winked at, and earned a smirk in return. Maybe for the job, he too was willing to suck things up. She was still going to give him space.

"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked.

"Wait, you want to come with us?" Hayley asked, eyeing Rory with curiosity as she came to stand next to Dean, throwing both straps to her backpack over her shoulders.

"I'm Aurora. Nice to meet you." She introduced, stretching out a hand to shake with Hayley's. She was hesitant at first, and Rory made note of that.

"Hayley. Are you a ranger too?" She asked, not at all buying the outfit choice of the day. Rory had decided to sport her usual pair of ripped jeans and combat boots, paired with one of Dean's very own flannels, he'd left behind with her. She wore it every chance she got, it had become one of her favorites.

"I am. Sorry we couldn't meet earlier. I was away on business. Just got back last night. I'm sorry about your brother." She told the woman who watched her closely, eyes darting between her and Dean as if she were trying to measure up what they were. Rory grew uncomfortable under her gaze, as Dean went on completely oblivious to what was happening, gazing around at the scenery.

"Who are these guys?" The man in their group decided to ask, walking up to Dean. Rory took that moment to escape, rounding Hayley after tossing a nod his way just in time to fall into step with Sam as he made his way to the top of the hill where they could get a better look at things.

"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue." She heard from behind her, and rolled her eyes.

"You're rangers?" Asked the guide.

"That's right." Dean spoke.

"And you're hiking out in biker boots and jeans?" Hayley returned, not believing a word leaving any of their lips.

"Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts." Dean replied smartly, moving past her to join Rory and Sam at the top, but stopped in his tracks when the guide spoke up behind him.

"What, you think this is funny? It's dangerous back country out there. Her brother might be hurt." His words caused them all to turn and look his way. Rory squinted slightly, trying to get a better read on the guy.

 ** _He's gonna be a problem,_** she thought.

"Believe me, I know how dangerous it can be. We just wanna help them find their brother, that's all." Dean said, walking up and passing the both of them to stand by the beginning of the trail.

* * *

They hiked through the forest with the guide-who they learned was named Roy-in the lead, then Dean, then Hayley, Rory, Ben and had Sam bringing up the rear. It hadn't been too long now, and Rory found herself feeling more at peace now that she was completely surrounded by nature. It was beautiful, and she just wanted to spend the few moments of silence taking it all in and appreciating everything this earth had to offer. A small smirk had settled on her lips prettily.

"Roy, you said you did a little hunting."

"Yeah, more than a little." He answered a little too confident in Rory's opinion.

"Uh-huh. What kind of furry critters do you hunt?" Dean continued, purposely teasing the older man.

"Mostly buck, sometimes bear." He answered proudly. Rory's eyes found the back of his head, irritation beginning to seep into her soul for him. Dean stepped ahead, passing Roy when he stopped to scope out their surroundings like he had been doing every now and again since they started hiking.

"Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?" Dean asked right before he was yanked by the back of his coat by Roy, causing everyone to stiffen and come to a halt, though Rory was quick to have her hand on the gun in her holster, ready to whip it out any time Roy wanted to step out of line, while Sam only looked on in concern.

"Whatcha doing, Roy?" Asked Dean, calmly as Roy went to grab a stick and poke at the floor, causing the bear trap that had been hidden under the leaves to contract, ultimately saving Dean's life. Rory sighed in relief, while Hayley looked on in annoyance and the others dropped their guard.

"You should watch where you're stepping. Ranger." Roy spoke, dropping the stick in his hand and taking the lead again, earning a snort from Rory as everyone fell into line again. She shook her head while waiting for Hayley to pass her so that she could fall between her and Ben again, the amusement etched upon her face.

"It's a bear trap." He said with embarrassment.

"Yeah Dean, we saw." She chuckled as they resumed their hike. Rory threw eyes over her shoulder to get a good look at Sam, just to make sure he was okay. He'd been mute the entire time, probably stuck inside his own head and dealing with his own issues. She then threw her gaze on the youngest Collin brother, Ben. He was sweet from what she could tell, just upset over his brother, and scared. He met her eyes momentarily, and she tossed him a wink and a smirk, earning a shy smile in return.

"You didn't pack any provisions. You guys are carrying a duffel bag. You're not rangers. So who the hell are you?" Hayley's voice caused her to look straight ahead again, only to find that she had Dean by the arm of his jacket, demanding that he answer her truthfully. She cut her eyes, not liking the aggression at all, but Dean was quick to diffuse the situation, throwing her a glance filled with reassurance, letting her know that he had it under control. Rory hesitated, but gave in, walking ahead of them, out of earshot.

Rory only hoped he said the right things.

* * *

 **Blackwater Ridge**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 11th 2005**

Roy was still in the lead, followed by Sam, Ben, Rory, Hayley and Dean this time.

"This is it. Blackwater Ridge." He Spoke. Sam passed him to stand in front.

"What coordinates are we at?" He asked, and Roy pulled out his GPS.

"Thirty-five and minus one-eleven." The guide answered, earning a frown from Rory. As beautiful as the sight was, it was missing any signs of John Winchester which ultimately rendered it useless.

"You hear that?" She hadn't even noticed Dean come up next to her and Sam, but she took in his words and listened closely, hearing nothing. Not even the wind or sound of trees rustling together.

"The dead silence?" She answered.

"Yeah. Not even crickets."

"I'm gonna go take a look around." Roy spoke.

"You shouldn't go off by yourself." Sam returned.

"That's sweet. Don't worry about me." Roy countered earning a look from Rory. She tipped her brows ready to intervene, but the older man had already walked by them to take the lead again. She bit her tongue, as Dean turned back to look at everyone when Hayley and her brother had caught up.

"All right, everybody stays together. Let's go." He ordered wisely.

"At least someone's head isn't up their ass…" She uttered under her breath while following after Ben.

* * *

Everyone except for Roy, who'd annoyingly wandered off, was looking around near a large rock. Rory, crouched down, looking to see if she could find any prints in the dirt, she touched the soil softly, and her eyes fluttered shut as she felt a calm begin to permeate throughout her arm causing her to jerk away and rip open her lids while cradling her arm, the calm energy still surging gently through her limb.

"Hey, you okay?" Dean who had been near her, had caught the whole thing and rushed over to her as she stood up, looking her over in worry. She furrowed her brows, watching the ground as if she'd seen something she couldn't explain.

"Aurora." He called her calmly, not wanting to get the others involved. She snapped out of it, looking over to him while blinking repeatedly.

"I'm good." She breathed. Dean eyed her arm as she cradled it to her chest.

"What's wrong with your arm?" He asked, and she dropped her gaze to her arm, not even noticing that she had been coddling it.

"Nothing. It's fine." She answered, dropping her arms to her side.

"I'm good." She answered just as Roy's voice rang out.

"Haley! Over here!" Hayley took off first, with everyone close behind.

"Oh my God." She gasped as they all came to a halt in front of what looked to be a campsite-or what used to be a campsite. The tents were all torn open and bloody, and supplies were scattered all over the place.

"Looks like a grizzly." Roy spoke up.

"Tommy?" Hayley called out, removing her backpack as she moved around the campsite whilst Dean and Rory looked around.

"Tommy!" She yelled. Sam moved quickly to catch up with her.

"Shh." Rory sounded.

"Tommy!" She screamed, earning a look from Rory.

"Shh-hh-hh!" Sam hushed her.

"Why?" She exclaimed, the worry for her brother controlling all of her at the moment.

"Something might still be out there." He spoke, looking out into the trees as Rory did the same.

"Sam! Rory!" They heard, and went over to Dean. Sam picked up a stick and snapped it before crouching down next to Rory.

"The bodies were dragged from the campsite. But here, the tracks just vanish. That's weird." Dean explained.

"This whole thing is weird." Rory spoke, frustrated with it all as they stood straight.

"I'll tell you what, that's no skinwalker or black dog." Dean said, walking back to the campsite with the other two in toe.

Rory watched Dean go over to a weeping Hayley who'd found something she assumed belonged to her brother. She turned to Sam.

"This is gonna be a lot harder with them to look out for." She voiced, Sam sighed and nodded in agreement.

"I know." He answered.

"Let's do our best okay?" She spoke patting his shoulder just before turning to walk away.

 _"Help! Help!"_ Rory froze in her tracks as the voice rang out. She locked eyes with Dean who took off after the others who'd followed Roy through the bushes to help aid the person shouting.

 _"Help! Somebody!"_ The voice rang out again. Rory's eyes darted every which way, coming up short when they found no one in sight.

"I'm not the only one going crazy am I?" She spoke out, throwing her gaze to the trees and then as far as they could go through the bushes.

"It seemed like it was coming from around here, didn't it?" Hayley asked. It went quiet between the group.

"Everybody back to camp." Sam instructed, and everyone did as told and returned back to camp only to find all of their supplies missing. Including her backpack.

"Fuck!I just bought that bag!" She cursed in frustration, running a hand through her hair.

"Our packs!" Hayley commented.

"So much for my GPS and my satellite phone." Roy spoke, further irritating Rory with the sound of his voice.

"What the hell is going on?" Hayley asked.

"It's smart. It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help." Sam answered, walking by Rory who continued to look around in stress.

Dean came up beside her, noticing her state, and rested a hand on her lower back wanting to comfort her. He wasn't sure about what he'd witnessed earlier when she'd touched the ground and froze up. He hoped it was nothing, and made note to ask her about it after all of this was over.

"You okay?" He asked lowly, enjoying having her close. Rory sighed and nodded, automatically feeling the calm his touch brought.

"You mean someone, some nutjob out there just stole all our gear." Roy voiced, irritating Rory all over again.

"I will be when he's no longer in my company." She bit, earning soft laughter from Dean. He rubbed the spot on her back, moving his lips to her ear.

 _"I'm here. Don't worry about him."_ He whispered, causing shivers to work right up Rory's back. She pulled herself together as Sam came over and her eyes had suddenly fell on Hayley, who'd been watching the whole exchange between the two. She looked away as soon as Rory found her gaze and moved to another area. Rory sighed.

"I need to speak with you two. In private." Sam spoke to them both. They all walked a little ways away from the rest of the group while keeping a good eye on them.

"Good. Let me see Dad's journal." Sam asked and Dean handed it over, watching as he flipped it open until he landed on a particular page. Rory knew he was onto something.

"All right, check that out." He spoke up then, pointing to a first nations style drawing of a figure.

Rory's brows rose as she read the word _Wendigo_.

"No way." She said, in slight surprise.

"Oh come on, wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or, or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west." Dean said in disbelief.

"Think about it, Dean, the claws, the way it can mimic a human voice." Sam pointed out, ultimately making a believer out of the two of them.

"Great." Dean frowned and took out his pistol.

"Well then this is useless." He said holding it up as Rory too frowned. Her pistol was all she had on her now that her pack was missing.

"That son of a bitch is smarter than I thought. It knew to take the only weapons we had that could kill it and leave us out here naked!" She growled, looking out into the greenery, hoping it could hear her. Sam handed back the journal to Dean and headed passed them, stopping for a moment.

"We gotta get these people to safety." He stated, throwing his eyes on Rory, who nodded in agreement before he could turn to walk back to the campsite.

"He's right you know." She told Dean, knowing he wasn't completely on board with sending Hayley away knowing she'd put up a fight to stay.

"I know." He sighed and followed close behind her as they made it back to the others.

"All right, listen up, it's time to go. Things have gotten...more complicated." Sam announced. Rory prayed everyone would just put their trust in him and listen to what he was saying, pack up, and leave them to handle things.

"What?" Hayley asked.

"Kid, don't worry. Whatever's out there, I think I can handle it." Roy spoke, earning an eye roll from Rory.

"Yeah, well it's not ourselves we're worried about." She spoke bitterly. Rory eyed her for a moment.

"If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad. We have to leave. Now." Sam urged.

"One, you're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders." Roy barked at the younger Winchester. Rory could feel herself losing all f her patience, and went to say something when the feel of Dean's hand wrapping softly around her wrist stopped her from doing so as he came to stand in front of her. She took a deep breath and decided to stay quiet a little longer, knowing he'd handle things should they get out of control.

"Relax." He threw, glaring at Roy.

"We never should have let you come out here in the first place, all right? I'm trying to protect you." Sam tried, but Roy only stepped up into Sam's personal bubble further intensifying the situation.

"You protect me? I was hunting these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night." Roy spat, sparking in anger in Rory's heart for the young Winchester, knowing their mother was the last thing to be spoken about. Ever.

"Yeah? It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you, and it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here." Roy laughed obnoxiously. Rory felt her hands turn to fists.

"You know you're crazy, right?" Roy tested as Sam took a step forward.

"Yeah? You ever hunt a wen—"

Dean was quick enough to step in, shoving Dean out of the way whilst Rory took her spot in front of Roy, about ready to throw a fist in his face.

"Roy!" Hayley yelled.

"You might wanna calm down there _**tourist**_." Rory snarled the last coupe words as Roy glared down at her.

 _"Chill out."_ She heard Dean tell a heated Sam.

"What are you gonna do if I don't?" Roy tried.

"You really wanna find out." Rory returned just as icily glaring daggers at him.

"Stop. Stop it. Everybody just stop. Look. Tommy might still be alive. And I'm not leaving here without him." Hayley's voice rang out and there was a long pause between everybody. Rory never backed down from Roy, not even for a moment. She would take on anyone who came at her family.

But a familiar hand on her shoulder got her to come down from her anger, and she looked over her shoulder at Dean.

"It's getting late. This thing is a good hunter in the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark..." He spoke, and Rory peeled herself away from her spot in front of Roy to go and check on Sam.

"You okay?" She asked, earning a silent nod from him. She sighed running a hand through her hair.

"We need to settle in and protect ourselves." Dean continued.

"How?" Hayley asked, looking to Dean.

* * *

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the second part of the Wendigo chapter! This one is another favorite, a lot of the season one episodes are my favorites actually :D. Alright! You know what to do to get more frequent adds! PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! ;) I appreciate any feedback!

xo


	10. Wendigo Pt III

**Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **Blackwater Ridge**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 11th 2005**

The group built a campfire, and Dean busied himself drawing shapes in the dirt around the campsite while Hayley poked at the fire. Rory and Ben sat side by side, speaking absently about his life in high school. She'd come to like the kid, finally able to break down some of the silence between them and actually warm up to each other. She smiled softly after he told her about the girl he'd had a crush on ever since preschool. Sam sat quietly for himself on a log off to the side. Rory, having no idea what was on his mind in that moment decided to excuse herself from Ben's company to go and sit by her brother.

"One more time, that's—"

"Anasazi symbols. It's for protection. The wendigo can't cross over them." Dean answered Hayley as Roy laughed with skepticism, hovering over the group with a gun over his shoulder. Rory had decided to bite her tongue and keep her dislike for the man on a leash, not wanting to start any unnecessary problems. She just wanted to keep them safe, save their lives and get the hell onto the next hunt.

"Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy." Dean replied before heading over to sit next to Rory on the log.

"You wanna tell me what's going on in that freaky head of yours?" He asked, deciding to tackle Sam first since Rory seemed to be handling herself pretty well all things considered.

"Dean—"

"No, you're not fine. You're like a powder keg, man, it's not like you. I'm supposed to be the belligerent one, remember?" Dean cut him off, over being brushed off by him. There was a long pause, and Rory remained silent, keeping her presence mute until it was needed. She knew Sam was itching to get things off his chest, and wished he would already so that he could feel at least a little better having talked it out with people he knew would have his back.

"Dad's not here. I mean, that much we know for sure, right? He would have left us a message, a sign, right?" Sam started.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Tell you the truth, I don't think Dad's ever been to Lost Creek." Dean replied.

"Then let's get these people back to town and let's hit the road. Go find Dad. I mean, why are we still even here?" Sam said, shoving his stick in the sand with frustration.

"This is why." Dean said, moving from his spot beside Rory to sit next to Sam, holding up their father's journal.

"This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession—everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business." She smirked at his words, and the pride hidden in them. Sam shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.

"That makes no sense. Why doesn't he just—call us? Why doesn't he—tell us what he wants, tell us where he is?" He spoke.

"I dunno. But the way I see it, Dad's giving us a job to do, and I intend to do it." Dean said with determination.

"Dean...no. I gotta find Dad. I gotta find Jessica's killer. It's the only thing I can think about." Sam spoke, desperation leaking through his tone. Rory could see then just how much this was eating him up inside, and frowned at the sadness that entered her heart for the young Winchester.

"Okay, all right, Sam, we'll find them, I promise. Listen to me. You've gotta prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while, and all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul. It's gonna kill you. You gotta have patience, man." Dean spoke, finally letting the cat out of the bag. Rory nodded in agreement as she rest one hand on his shoulder, rubbing softly before letting go. Sam met her glance.

"How do you guys do it? How does Dad do it?" He asked as if he were dying to know, feeling like if he didn't find out, he'd lose his grip and fast. Rory smirked following Dean's gaze over to Hayley and Ben.

"Well for one, them." He spoke, and Sam too looked over.

"I mean, I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable." He continued, earning a chuckle from Rory. He glanced at her and winked, and she couldn't hide the sweet smile from painting itself onto her lips. He matched her smile.

"I'll tell you what else helps." He spoke, only tearing his gaze away from the twenty-four year old blonde to look back at his brother.

"Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can." He admit. Sam had no choice but to smile, but not even a second after, it was wiped away when the sound of a twig snapping was heard.

 _"Help me! Please!"_ The voice was distant.

"Not this again." Rory spoke as she stood to her feet with the brothers at the ready.

 _"Help!"_ Sam shined his flashlight all about, looking for the man.

"He's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put." Dean instructed, keeping his calm. Rory always admired how he was able to do that in times of stress.

"Inside the magic circle?" Roy teased, earning a look from Dean.

 _"_ _Help! Help me!"_ The growling that sounded soon after was monstrous, enough to make the hairs on Rory's skin raise.

Roy pointed his gun towards the sound.

"Okay, that's no grizzly."

"Wanna stay inside the magic circle now?" Rory teased the ranger, keeping her eyes forward as she stared into the darkness. It was impossible to see.

"It's okay. You'll be all right, I promise." Hayley said trying to comfort her little brother the best she could. Rory looked over her shoulder at him, tossing a comforting smile his way just as something rushed by in the bushes. She whipped around to face forward, holding up her gun ready to shoot. It was useless, but it was better than being defenseless.

"It's here." Sam announced. Roy shot at it.

"I hit it!" He yelled as Rory looked at him as if he were ten kinds of stupid when he took off into the bushes.

"Roy, no! Roy!" Dean shouted after him as Rory and Sam broke into a sprint after the ranger.

"Don't move!" He ordered, moving quickly after the others.

Rory and Sam skid to a stop, Dean stopping soon after. They searched the trees, trying to spot out Roy.

 _"Its over here! It's in the tree!-"_

His voice cut off, and Rory stood still, holding up her hand to stop the boys from going any further while she lead the way.

"Wait stop!" She looked around, noting the silence. It was quiet, too quiet.

 _ **Dammit Roy,**_ she thought.

"Roy!" Dean shouted.

"He's gone." She said, a slight sadness falling over her heart. She knew he was gone. There was no way that thing kept him alive after shooting at it.

"Son of a bitch." Dean groaned.

* * *

The night had been long, and exhausting. Rory, Sam, and Dean took turns keeping watch. Though Rory hadn't slept a wink at all. She decided to keep last watch with Sam until the sun came up the following morning. Eventually it was time to pack up, and get moving. She helped Dean do just that so they could get the hell out of there whilst Sam sat against a hollow tree stump, holding John's journal and playing with a lanyard attached to it.

"I don't...I mean, these types of things, they aren't supposed to be real." Hayley spoke, in shock. She was filled in over the course of the night. Though she'd taken better to the explanation Dean had given her than Rory had.

"I wish I could tell you different." He said.

"How do we know it's not out there watching us?" She asked.

"We don't. But we're safe for now." Dean replied.

"How do you know about this stuff?" Hayley went on to ask. There was a pause as Sam, Dean and Rory all paid each other looks.

"Kind of runs in the family." He chose to answer with as Sam came over.

"Hey." He greeted as Hayley stood up.

"So we've got half a chance in the daylight. And I for one want to kill this evil son of a bitch." Sam stated, earning a smirk from Rory. He seemed to be in better spirits than the night before.

"Well, hell, you know I'm in." Dean spoke, ready to raise hell on the creature.

Sam went over to Ben and Hayley to show the page in John's journal that had the information on the Wendigo on it.

"Wendigo is a Cree Indian word. It means 'evil that devours." Sam explained.

"They're hundreds of years old. Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter." Dean went on to say, taking over as he passed between Ben and Hayley.

"How's a man turn into one of those things?" She asked. Dean bent over to pick up a couple of items from the ground. Rory looked to the objects with a smirk. They were ingredients you needed to make a flamethrower.

"It's always the same. During some harsh winter a guy finds himself starving, cut off from supplies or help. Becomes a cannibal to survive, eating other members of his tribe or camp." Rory continued explaining, looking to Ben.

"Like the Donner Party." He chimed in. She smirked and winked.

"Smart kid." She earned a small smile from him in return.

"Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities. Speed, strength, immortality." Sam carried on.

"If you eat enough of it, over years, you become this less than human thing. You're always hungry." Dea spoke.

"It's honestly the most disgusting thing ever." Rory grimaced.

"So if that's true, how can Tommy still be alive?" Hayley asked.

"You're not gonna like it." Dean answered glancing at his family then back to her.

"Tell me." She said.

 ** _She's brave, I'll give her that_**. Rory thought.

"More than anything, a wendigo knows how to last long winters without food. It hibernates for years at a time, but when it's awake it keeps its victims alive. It, uh, it stores them, so it can feed whenever it wants. If your brother's alive, it's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe. We gotta track it back there." Dean finished explaining.

"And then how do we stop it?" Hayley asked, stomaching the knowledge better than she thought she would.

"Well, guns are useless, so are knives. Basically—"

Dean held up the can of lighter fluid, the beer bottle, and the white cloth he'd picked up.

"We gotta torch the sucker." He spoke earning a full grin from Rory.

* * *

Dean was in the lead this time, given Roy untimely demise. He had his Molotov cocktail in hand, ready to use it when it was time. Rory followed close behind, then Hayley, Ben, and then Sam in the rear. They followed the trees with bloody claw marks that would lead them to the Wendigo and hopefully, Tommy. Rory reached up to touch the branch full of leaves overhead as she passed, furrowing her brows in confusion as she did, feeling the same flow of calm energy stream through her arm and work its way up each time she touched one. It was the strangest feeling, one she'd never really encountered before yesterday, and she had no explanation for it. She'd always loved nature, but this was…she didn't know what it was.

Dean had looked over his shoulder at her a couple of times, slightly confused when he'd found her looking so lost in herself, but said nothing to disturb her, only continued to lead the way.

Sam decided to take the lead at some point during the hike, and Rory had stayed in close second and Dean in last, bringing up the rest of the group.

"Dean, Rore." Sam called, snapping Rory out of her head. She rushed over to him as Dean came up behind them.

"What is it?" They looked around the trees, and noticed the bloody claw marks and broken branches everywhere.

"You know, I was thinking, those claw prints, so clear and distinct. They were almost too easy to follow." Sam voiced, making a good point. Just as she went to speak, a growling sound cut clear across their surroundings.

"Spoke to soon Sammy." She spoke, throwing her eyes high into the trees where she was sure the thing would be lurking since it'd last attacked Roy from the trees, but it was so quick it was hard to tell where it was coming from exactly. They began to rustle, and Rory looked over her shoulder back at the Collin's to make sure they were okay, when she noticed the crimson red stain on the shoulder of her shirt.

"Hayley." She called calmly. Hayley seemed to notice and looked up. Rory followed her gaze and cursed under her breath before leaping to shove Hayley out of the way when Roy's corpse fell from the tree tops and landed in the space she'd just been standing in. They landed in a thud, and Rory groaned, pushing up onto her feet as Sam helped Hayley.

 _ **"Jesus!"**_ She cursed taking the lords name in vain as she dusted herself off, looking to Dean as he checked over Roy's body.

"You okay? You got it?" She could hear Sam ask Hayley from behind, but kept her eyes on Dean.

"How is he?" She asked quickly, wanting to know how bad the damage was to his body.

"His neck's broke." Dean answered as more growling sounded out around them. Rory tensed, and turned to take off as Dean stood and ushered her to move.

"Okay, run, run, run, run, go, go, go!" He yelled as everyone broke off into a sprint. Rory kept her pace steady so that she could keep her place in line behind Dean as the others ran freely. She was used to keeping close to him, after the many years of hunting together, and all of the times where he and John and Bobby had made it a point for her to stay near him no matter what. She was sure the others would be fine, with Sam in last, she knew he'd make sure to keep them safe, and just for good measure, made sure to keep throwing her eyes over her shoulder to check on them every now and again while she ran.

Though the last time she had checked, Hayley and Sam were helping Ben off the ground after he'd somehow slipped, and pretty soon they were out of sight with how fast Rory was running. The fall had divided the group into two, and no matter how much Rory wanted to run back and check up on them, she knew she had to stay with Dean, in case he ran into trouble as well.

Before she had time to face forward again, she had already hit the brick wall otherwise known as Dean. She caught herself before she could fall and froze when she was face with the Wendigo itself. Her eyes widened in terror as fear crawled up her spine and practically stripped her of her vocal chords.

"Oh sh-" She didn't have time to yell before the creature struck them both, swinging it's abnormally long arm out and knocking them straight into a tree. She yelped on impact, feeling the blow particularly in the back of her head and down her spine before she welcomed the darkness.

* * *

There was a dull sensation, sourcing from her wrists, and no matter how much she tried to ignore it and sleep, she couldn't. It was too uncomfortable.

 _"_ _Dean!"_ Rory could hear faintly. There was a ringing in her ears along with a throbbing in her head. She knew she'd been concussed again, and that's when it all began to flood back to her.

 _"_ _Rory, wake up."_ A voice called out to her, it was familiar, but Rory couldn't find the energy to follow it. Not while there was so much pain in her-

 _ **"Dean!"**_ The sound of Sam's panicked voice somehow shook both her and Dean awake with a jolt, ultimately awaking all of the pain wracking through her entire body. Her blurred vision cleared after a few moments.

"Hey, Rory. It's me, it's Ben. Are you okay?" Ben's soft voice rang into Rory's ear, waking her fully. She was well aware of her surroundings then and her worry shot through the roof.

"Dean?" She groaned, throat hoarse.

"He's okay. He's alright. Are you?" The younger boy asked, feeling a certain concern for the beautiful blonde. They'd developed a friendship over the short span of time, and he decided it'd be horrible if something bad had happened to Rory after everything she'd done to help him save his brother.

Rory felt the sting in her wrist grow intense and looked up slowly only to realize she'd been hanging from the ceiling like dead meat. She winced in pain and looked back to Ben who seemed to be searching for a way to cut her down himself.

"Sammy?" She called, knowing he probably had a knife.

"Hey, I'm here." He spoke, coming into view, the worry spread in his eyes. Rory smirked.

"Fancy meeting you here." She cracked, knowing it'd be out of character for her not to try and lighten an unfortunate situation. Sam smirked with relief, happy to see that she was okay, other than the couple of gashes on her face.

"Think you can cut me down?" She asked, looking to her left to find Dean on the floor, groaning as he tried to shake off the pain. Hayley looked him over with concern.

"Yeah, Hold on." Sam told her, and she braced herself. Sam and Ben were quick to catch her before she could hit the ground, and moved her over to where Dean and Hayley were.

"You sure you're all right?" Sam asked for reassurance. Rory nodded, laying her head back for a moment before shaking it, hoping to get rid of the stars.

Dean grimaced, reaching over to cup Rory's face to examine her and make sure for himself that she was okay. She noticed all the dirt and grime and smeared blood from superficial cuts on his face and winced, not at all able to imagine how she must've looked.

"You okay?" She asked before he could.

"Yeah. Yep. Where is he?" Dean groaned, holding back his curse words.

"He's gone for now." Sam told them while Rory followed Hayley who moved over to the opposite side with Ben in toe. There she spotted a body resembling the one from the video on Sam's laptop. It was-

"Tommy..." Hayley cried as she reached out to touch his cheek, but jumped back once his head jerked up. She shrieked and turned to Sam.

"Cut him down!" She cried, and Sam did as told quickly.

"We're gonna get you home." She told her brother. The sight before Rory was sweet, all things considered. She just hoped they made it out of there. Her eyes went to the floor, and found the stolen supplies all piled in the corner. Dean was already one step ahead, picking up the flare guns.

"Check it out." He told her and Sam gaining their attention.

"Flare guns. Those'll work." Sam grinned as Dean laughed triumphantly and twirled the guns in hand. Rory breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally something was going their way.

* * *

They headed down a tunnel, Dean and Sam kept the lead with their flare guns in hand while Hayley and Ben supported a limping Tom in the center with Rory taking up the rear. She was thankful no serious damage had been done to her nor Dean, and couldn't wait to get the hell out of this mine.

There was a growl in the near distance.

"Looks like someone's home for supper." Dean spoke.

"We'll never outrun it." Hayley answered. Dean looked back at them, taping his eyes to Rory's last, and she knew the look.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked.

"Dean." She tried to stop him before he could think of something stupid.

"Yeah, I think so." Sam answered.

"No." Rory joined in.

"All right, listen to me. Stay with Sam. He's gonna get you out of here." Dean spoke.

"What are you gonna do?" Hayley asked.

"Get himself killed." Rory filled in the silence right before Dean winked at her and started walking away down the corridor. Hooting and hollering for the damned thing to come and get him while they made their escape.

 _"_ _Chow time, you freaky bastard! Yeah, that's right, bring it on, baby, I taste good!"_ They waited until Dean was a safe distance away before they started moving again.

"All right, come on! Hurry!" He urged them to be quick, and Rory knew they needed to be if they were gonna make it out alive.

They continued to move throughout the tunnel and Rory found herself praying for Dean, hoping he;d keep safe and make it out of there alive. She didn't know what she'd do if he didn't.

There were so many things she still had to tell him, and wasn't sure she'd be able to live with herself if she didn't get the chance to.

The growling in the distance pulled her from inside of her head and Sam was quick to point his gun at it for a moment before lowering it and turning towards them.

"Get them outta here." He told Rory with a serious look in his eye. She had to admit, she was happy to see that he'd had a change of heart, seeing that he was no in the least bit interested in helping the Collin's out over finding his father at first. It made her proud.

"Sam, no." Hayley said.

"Go! Go! Go!" He said with urgency. Rory paused for a moment, eyeing him silently. It was a loaded look, one Sam knew how to read. He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Come on, Rory!" Ben begged, helping Tom and Hayley along the mine tunnel.

"He'll be okay." Spoke Ben. Rory had to admit in that moment, when it was time to say goodbye, she would miss the young boy. He was a good person, one that she'd bonded with over the short span of two days.

A shot rang out, and Rory looked over her shoulder, keeping everyone behind her. A moment later Sam came into view, looking frightened as he ran towards them.

"Sam!" Hayley called him as he caught up, rushing them forward, pushing them to speed up and run. Rory guessed their cannibal friend wasn't too far behind, which meant Dean was somewhere chasing his tail.

"Come on, hurry, hurry, hurry." Sam rushed as they ran to the end of the tunnel with no place left to go. It was a dead end, and the Wendigo was right behind them.

"Get behind me." Sam ordered, pushing Rory behind him while she did the same to the rest. If Sam was first in line to go, she'd be second, she had to protect them until she couldn't anymore. She had to do her best.

That was the job.

The Wendigo approached, taking its time, and squaring up his prey. Rory had never seen anything like it before, so large and unnatural in its skin. It was terrifying, but that was the kind of thing she was used to which prevented her from reacting like Hayley had.

 ** _There are worst ways to go,_** Rory thought.

"Hey!" Dean's voice suddenly rung out, sparking hope in Rory and the rest of the group. The creature spun around to face Dean, who didn't even give it a thought before he shot the flare gun at its stomach. The Wendigo went up in flames, screaming and carrying on as it withered into ashes. Rory winced at the noise, shielding the others from the scene.

Soon the fire died down, and there was nothing left but a heap of ash.

"Not bad, huh?" Rory's eyes flashed to Dean's and she couldn't help but feel the relief spread throughout her entire body as Sam grinned.

* * *

Paramedics loaded Tom up into the ambulance whilst two police officers interviewed Ben with Rory ad Sam behind him, not wanting to leave him for all of the questioning.

"And the bear came back again after you yelled at it?" Asked the officer, causing Rory to laugh internally.

 ** _If only you knew,_** she thought.

"That's when it circled the campsite. I mean, this grizzly must have weighed eight hundred, nine hundred pounds." Ben answered. Rory had to admit, he was doing pretty good for a beginner. A little too good, but she nodded in agreement anyway, looking over her shoulder absently at Dean and Hayley who'd been caught up in their own conversation. She took in how engaged Hayley was in speaking with him, and knew that the woman had developed a crush on the Winchester. She smirked at the two.

 ** _Who wouldn't crush on him?_** She thought.

She watched for a moment longer before looking away, knowing eventually she'd be in Hayley's spot, and when she was, she'd need to know the words to say to him.

"All right, we'll go after it first thing." Said the officer, snapping her back.

Ben nodded okay and thanked the officer as he walked away from the three, leaving them be. Rory sighed and lead the way over to Dean. Hayley turned to face her little brother.

"Let's go." She told him. Sam and Ben nodded their goodbye to each other, and Rory found herself growing a little sad, not wanting to say goodbye to the kid just yet. She smiled softly for him and pulled him into a hug anyway, slightly surprised when he squeezed her back.

"Thank you." He spoke muffled into her shoulder.

"You'll take care of your brother and sister right?" She spoke pulling away to hold him at arm's length as he nodded yes.

Sam smiled affectionately at the Singer, admiring her kindness and warmth. She was always so good with people, and he didn't understand how knowing the things that she knew, and seeing what she'd seen. Dean looked on with the same admiration in his eyes, thinking of how good of a mother Rory would make someday. It was a thought that had crossed his mind time and time again, especially in the past. It had been a while before tonight, and it began to overwhelm him until he looked away and back at the dark haired pistol in front of him. He eyed her closely, as she smiled at him. But nothing. There was nothing there for her, and he knew why and who was responsible.

"Take care kid." Rory ruffled his hair and turned to look at Dean just in time to see Hayley place a soft peck on his cheek. She blinked, taking in the scene in front of her.

"I hope you find your father." Hayley told him before she and Ben headed for the ambulance.

"Thanks, Sam. You too Rory." She bid them goodbye. Rory nodded and delivered a tight lipped smile as she watched them leave. Sam went to lean on the Impala next to Dean while Rory stood in front of them with her arms crossed over her chest to keep warm.

 _"_ _Close her up."_ She heard the paramedic say.

"Man, I hate camping." Spoke Dean.

"Me too." Sam chimed in.

"I personally love it, It's the whole hunting a Wendigo thing I can't deal with." Rory voiced, earning a chuckle from Sam. The faint sound of sirens in the distance was heard.

Rory sighed, happy to have saved lives.

"But we did good. That's gotta count for somethin' huh?" She asked, eyeing Sam in particular, earning a smirk in return from him.

"We did our best." He answered and she could see the small glimmer of light and hope return to his eyes.

"Sam, you know we're gonna find Dad, right?" Dean spoke, once the silence had fallen over them.

"Yeah, I know. But in the meantime? I'm driving." Sam said, and Dean tossed him the keys while throwing Rory a smirk that threatened to make her weak in the knees.

"Wanna talk when we get back to the hotel?" She managed to ask.

Dean eyed her for a second before nodding, not thinking much of it. But he knew he had some things he wanted to tell her.

"You got it Angel." He winked as they climbed into the Impala.

* * *

There we have it! The end to yet another awesome chapter! No soundtrack today but most definitely in the next chapter where Dean and Rory will have finally found the time to talk about things! I know you've all probably been dying to understand to the dynamic of their relationship! You'll soon find out :) Hope you enjoyed reading! More soon!

Leave your love!

xo


	11. Leave Me Be

**Motel** **Later That Night**

 **Colorado, USA**

 **November 13th, 2005**

It was going on four in the morning. Rory stared herself in the mirror with tired reddened eyes. Bags had settled nicely beneath them and she noticed the pale tone to her face due to lack of sleep. She'd just removed the dressings applied by the paramedics back at the ranger station. There was a bruise forming just next to her right temple and a gash settled nicely by the curve of her jaw that disappeared just under her chin. She sighed, reaching up to touch it, wincing at the sting.

"Son of a bitch..." She breathed, resting both hands on the rim of the sink as she leaned forward to stare deeper into her soul.

The things that have been happening to her over the last few days, was alarming, and it worried her to say the least. She wasn't sure what the hell was going on with her, and she wasn't sure how the hell she was going to explain any of it to her father or the boys, or if she even wanted to. There was just so much going on, and it was beginning to overwhelm her.

A knock at the door forced her to turn her eyes, and she exhaled.

She sighed, pushing away from the sink before strolling out of the bathroom after shutting off the light. She knew it was Dean at the door. She knew they'd have to talk and hash things out, thoroughly. Because it was clear over the past couple of days, that she still had issues she needed to address with Dean over what happened.

Especially since she knew she'd have to leave him afterwards.

She swung open the door, revealing the Winchester holding a six pack in hand while sporting a boyish grin that touched the flecks of hazel in his eyes. Rory couldn't hide the smirk, and stepped to the side to let him in before shutting the door lightly behind them.

* * *

"Hell of a hunt huh?" Dean started with small talk, not really sure where to begin with Rory. There were so many things they had to talk about-

"I'll say. That evil piece of shit gave me another concussion." She said, rubbing her left temple with annoyance whilst Dean gave a hearty chuckle.

"We need to get you a helmet or something. Prevent that from happening again on the next one." He spoke with amusement, earning an eye roll from the twenty-four year old.

"Funny." She sassed, taking a seat at the round table awkwardly placed in the center of the room. Dean sat across from her, testing the beer on the table as he slouched comfortably in his seat.

"Seriously though, getting hurt on the job is usually my thing. " Dean laughed, gesturing to himself. What he said was true for the most part. Rory was always the one to give pain, not receive it. She thought about every move she made before she made them. While Den was more of a shoot first and ask questions later kind of guy.

"Yeah well, my combat skills can use some touching up, I'll admit that. And you know I hate being the one who needs saving, so I'll definitely have dad whip me back into shape when I get back to Sioux Falls." She smirked, leaning an elbow onto the sturdy object, reaching over to pluck a beer from the pack. She brought the cap to her teeth, found the groove in it and used her pearly whites to crack it open. The cap fell from between her mouth and clanked onto the table. Dean watched her closely as they sat in silence.

"I'm sure he'll get you back to kick-ass in no time." Dean replied earning a hum from her. He did his best to ignore the pang in his chest at the mention of her returning home.

"So what's with the segregation? You never minded sharing beds before." He asked, diving right into what was on his mind. Rory went along with the direction and shrugged.

"I just figured you'd want your quality time, you and Sam." She answered with nonchalance.

"I could sure use some quality time with you." He said deciding to test the waters, absently tapping his fingers against the table. He was nervous, he didn't know why, but he had to speak his mind. For six months he'd been without her, missing her, wishing he never left. He had to take advantage of the situation.

Rory chuckled softly, combing her fingers through her hair absently.

"You sure you don't wanna call up Hayley and see if she's game?" Rory rose her brow, the smirk playing at the curve of her lips.

"Aww c'mon Angel, since when are you the jealous type?" Dean returned, highly surprised to hear her speak that way of another woman. Rory had never been the jealous type. It was yet another thing he loved about her.

"Since you–" she bit her tongue, stopping herself completely and looking away over his shoulder at the blank wall. She wondered what Sam was doing on the other side, and if she yelled would he hear.

The silence that had blanketed them was deafening and Dean hated it. He could see that she was practically tipping over, and it made him even more nervous than before. He prayed she'd say something, anything. If she didn't, it meant she didn't care to. He needed her to still care, after all these months, and not about his father, or his brother, but about him.

About them.

But nothing was leaving her. She was fighting with everything she had to keep the emotions bottled up inside out of fear of saying too much.

"…Talk to me."

"You **_left._** " She spilled, the pain dripping from her lips. The weight that she'd felt the moment she realized that Dean had left her all those months ago, was beginning to weigh on her yet again. There was no escaping it this time, and she was left with no choice but to tackle the matter head on.

"You slipped passed the door in the middle of the night and you left." She continued as Dean frowned deeply with regret while she spoke because this time, her voice was laced with hurt and sadness, all emotions he'd been responsible for evoking in her.

"For _**months,**_ Dean." Rory stressed, feeling the ache begin to flow throughout her, causing her tongue to grow heavy.

"I-….I tried to push it all aside, for the good of the hunt, and for Sammy, but I can't do it anymore. It's too much with everything else going on-"

"Aurora-" Her hand went up to stop him, and he closed his lips into a tight line.

"Wait. I'm not done. I need to say this." She breathed, thinking it was now or never. Her anxiety over the situation caused her to rest her beer down and lift from her seat and begin to pace the room. Dean's eyes followed her calmly, never leaving her body as he looked on heavyhearted. His upper lids drooped over with despair while the corners of his lips pulled down.

"I-..I thought we were good. I thought we were happy–"

"We were!" Dean exclaimed, desperate to make her see that she wasn't the reason for his untimely departure, desperate to make her understand that he was the one who'd screwed up.

"Then why?!" She returned, her pitch rising a few notches. The pain was clear as day across her face, she had no more energy to hide it. She needed him to see now what he'd done to her, how much he'd hurt her.

"That's all I wanna know! Why just disappear?!" Her voice cracked as she paused there in front of him. Dean sighed, looking up at her as she fought back against the urge to slap him.

"I just had…some stuff I had to figure out." He explained lamely, knowing the moment the words left his lips that they were nowhere near adequate. Rory's brows nearly connected at the center of her head.

"Are you kidding me? I called you for months trying to find you-I called ** _John_** , desperate for something, anything! An explanation as to why, or what would possibly make you senseless enough to leave me in the middle of nowhere!" She spoke animatedly with her hands, emphasizing her anger and frustration towards the Winchester, and he did his best not to be insulted by her words. At some point he'd pushed himself up out of his seat, hating the feeling of being beat down by her anger. She was furious with him, that much was obvious, but he was just as furious with her for his own reasons, reasons that he knew he'd have to share sooner or later.

"How could you do that, how could you just ignore everything that happened between us over the past decade?!" She exclaimed, sick to her stomach with hurt.

"I didn't ignore anything."Dean argued, feeling his patience wear thin.

"Tuh! Well you didn't acknowledge anything after you left either!" Rory crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight onto one foot as she glared at him.

"Look, I wanted to call okay-"

"Did you?!" She chuckled bitterly looking away.

"Yes! I did!-"

"THAN WHY DIDN'T YOU?!" She cried throwing her arms up in the air, the tears slipping over the edge of her bottom lids and travelling tortuously slow down her cheeks whilst her chest heaved in anger. Her lips quivered, no matter how hard she clenched her jaw. She hated crying, and Dean knew that. And knowing that he'd been the source of her pain was killing him.

He stepped forward to comfort her, only to have her step back, tearing her gaze away from him and swiping at her cheeks.

"Angel, I'm sorry." His voice was thick with emotion, and the glint in his eyes revealed the true sadness he felt for ever hurting her. He didn't know it would be this hard. He'd seen this entire conversation going a completely different way. He thought it'd involve laughter and love, but he was sadly mistaken.

He took another step forward, not wanting to give up. He had to take away the pain. Rory didn't move away this time, she faced the floor anticipating his touch. The only touch she knew that could calm her down. It was a warm spark that started from the tip of her chin, and permeated up the side of her face where he rested his hand and forced her to look into his eyes. They'd grown a darker shade of green due to the despair, but they were still as beautiful as she always thought they were.

Rory didn't respond, only blinked back the tears, the sound of her sniffles being the only soundtrack in the room.

"…Was there someone else?" She dared to ask, feeling her insides curl in fear as he watched her with regret and sorrow.

"No! Of course not!" He answered quietly with an incredulous look. Rory didn't think the question was that far-fetched.

"I just-…look, you didn't deserve what I did to you. Okay? I know that one hundred percent and I get that I hurt you. And I'm sorry.-"

" _ **Enough**_ with the 'I'm sorry' already. This is way bigger than an I'm sorry Dean. This is-I thought we were on the same page, and to find out that we weren't was-…heartbreaking. You broke me back in Ohio." Rory pulled away, brushing off the absence of his touch. Dean sighed, fighting against the urge to reach back out for her.

"I know I'm s-…I need you to believe me when I say I didn't mean to hurt you Aurora." He spoke, voice thick with emotion.

"I did believe that once Dean. I believed that you would never hurt me. Ever. But you did. So it's gonna take some time to get over it. I thought I could handle it and be here with you guys but-I can't do it. There's just too much going on in my head right now. I have to go-"

"Aurora please. I-…look you can't leave. Not now. I need you. Sam needs you." Dean begged, pulling desperately at every string. He thought maybe pulling the 'Sammy just lost his girlfriend' card would do it, but he knew by the set look in her eyes, she was leaving. He watched her cross the room in silence, and the tears burned his eyes, threatening to fall when Rory picked up the duffel she'd packed as soon as she got back to the motel. She walked back over to him, throwing the strap over her shoulder.

"I needed you too Dean. Hell I was in love with you." She spoke softly. Dean's chest tightened as the words registered in his head.

"Just-…I think it's best if I leave." She concluded. Dean clenched his jaw ready to fight.

"What's going on with you?" He started, earning a look of confusion from Rory.

"What are you talking about-"

"Back at Blackwater, in the forest, something happened to you. And don't tell me it was nothing, I know when you're lying." Dean spoke, voice hard.

Rory stared into his eyes, the determination in them let her know that he wasn't going to make this easy. She wouldn't be able to just walk out the door like he did six months ago.

"It-it...I don't know. That's what I'm going home to figure out." She answered truthfully. There was definitely something going on, something inside of her that was beginning, like a surge of energy was forming inside of her or something. She wasn't sure how to explain it, but it-

"It's like...something I don't know. I just felt...different out there. And then at Stanford, I'm not sure what happened I just got this...feeling. That's basically all I know know right now. That's the best way I can describe it as, a feeling." She expressed as best as she could.

"Well you don't need to leave to figure it out. I can help you. Hell, Sammy can help you. I'm sure he could read up about it and figure it out in no time-"

"No. Dean. Listen to me...I need to go home. I need to see my dad." She cut him off, eyes filled with worry and concern for herself. Going home was the best thing for her right now, she knew that, even Dean understood that much.

He just hated that he couldn't leave with her.

 _Karma is a **bitch**_ , he thought.

"I need to leave."

Dean continued to look fixedly at her, holding every feature of her face to his memory.

* * *

Rory shut the backdoor to her Mustang closed, and walked along the side of it to the hood where a quiet Sam and a dark eyed Dean waited to see her off. She shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she approached Sam first, thinking it was best to give Dean some more time to process things.

"You sure you have to go? I'm sure we could figure things out together on the road. Save some lives meanwhile?" He said trying his best to get her to stay, wishes from his brother when he'd filled him in on what was going on. Though he too wanted the woman to stay. Rory was basically the only person he could really talk to about things that were bothering him. He would miss her presence if she left, undoubtedly.

"Sorry Sammy. Just somethin' I gotta do." She tossed a smirk, removing a hand from one of her pockets to rub the side of his face.

"Call me when you need me." She told him, hoping he'd be okay.

"Don't you mean _'if'_?" He smirked in amusement, earning a wink from her in return. Sam grinned, and pulled her in for a tight embrace.

"Tell Bobby hey for me." He spoke before placing a gentle peck on the crown of her head.

"I will." She replied, blinking long and hard as she squeezed him tight and let him go. She watched as he turned and made his way back to the motel. Once he disappeared behind the door she sighed.

"He's probably crying behind that door." She cracked, throwing her gaze onto Dean who no matter how hard he tried,gave into the smirk that played at the corner of his lips.

"Probably." He sounded, voice gruff as he stood there tall and towering over her. She turned to better face him, craning her neck up to meet his piercing gaze. The moon gave it a glint that she had to program into her mind so she'd never forget should anything happen in the time they were apart.

Dean never said a word, because he wasn't sure what to say. Nothing he could think of made this situation a good one. She was leaving him, and again he'd have to figure out how to cope without her.

 _I should've never left her_ , he thought.

"I should've never left you in Ohio." He spilled before his mind could process it.

Rory's shoulders slumped as she smirked lazily, too tired to grow bitter over the situation again. It was literally draining her.

"It's okay Dean."

"No it's not." He spoke strongly, eyes falling down her frame slowly, pausing on her stomach for a second before he made his way up to her face.

"I shouldn't have left you." He repeated.

Rory could see the regret in his eyes, and she knew he'd been beating himself up. Her feet moved for her, bringing her forward as her hand reached up to cup his cheek. Dean continued to brood, shutting his eyes closed at the feel of her fingers on his skin. And within the next couple of seconds he found his lips laced with hers, locked in a tantalizingly slow yet passionate kiss. He swooned at the familiar taste of her cherry flavored gloss and wrapped his arms slowly around the curve of her slim waist. They were tangled up in each other, longing for more, but too trapped inside of their current state of sadness to take anything further. So they stayed there, intertwined by the lips for a little longer before they broke away. She was left breathless by the end of it, her lips slightly swollen and puckered as well as Dean's. He released her with a light moan, his heart thumping in his ears as he held her by the waist.

She still loved him.

He still loved her.

"When you figure everything out...come back." Dean told her, not able to see how he could possibly go on without her now.

"I will." Rory answered with a nod as she reached up to touch her lips. They were still tingling.

Dean licked his before he wiped at them and let her go.

"Call me if you need anything. I mean it." He said, looking her dead in the eyes.

"Of course." She promised.

Sure it hurt what had happened between them, it killed. But that didn't mean that Dean wouldn't be the first person she thought to call in her time of need. He would always be that person she could depend on, no matter what he did.

She got in the car and revved the engine to life while Dean came to stand in the window. She turned to look up at him.

"Later Angel." He smiled earning one from her in return.

"Bye Dean."

* * *

 _"So you guys didn't even talk about the real problem? At all?!"_ Jo Asked Rory over the phone as she kept her eyes on the road while going double the speed limit down the lonely interstate. She'd left the boys going on five hours ago and decided to hightail it back to Sioux Falls, wanting to be as far away from Dean as she could get. It was a twelve hour drive, she was going to try and make it in ten.

"No." Rory replied flatly. Her eyes rolled as she thought back on the argument Dean and her had before she left. She couldn't erase the look on his face when she told him she was leaving him.

 _"Jesus. You two really are pros at beating around the bush."_

"Bite me." Rory groaned in frustration.

 _"Aurora, you gotta tell him sometime. It's unhealthy for you to carry this around. It's gonna eat you alive."_

"What was I supposed to say?! 'Hey, I know we haven't seen each other in six months but that's okay, I went ahead and found out I was two months pregnant without you and had a miscarriage! Don't you worry about it?!'" She grimaced, it all sounded so much worse outside of her mind.

But Jo was right, it was eating her up inside.

 _"No! Of course not! You would start with 'Hey long time no see! Look I don't know why you left, but would you mind telling me why?...' and then you'd end off with 'Because I was two months pregnant with your baby at the time, and down the line had a miscarriage.' And you could finish it with something like 'But no hard feelings.' Or something."_ Jo quipped, causing Rory to moan miserably.

It all sounds so horrible out loud.

"I was gonna tell him. I was. But I was just _**so mad**_!" She frowned, gripping the wheel at ten and two before reaching her right hand down to shift the gear.

 _"That's pent up emotions for ya my friend. It was bound to happen sooner or later. You're just lucky it happened with Dean and not someone who didn't deserve it."_

"Lucky me." Rory sounded sarcastically earning a sigh from her friend. They'd met when Rory was twenty-two. Jo was only just entering adulthood at the time, yet she could've sworn that she was going on forty. Bobby had taken Rory on a road trip out to Nebraska on hunting business when they'd made a pit stop at the Harvelle Roadhouse, a place for other hunters from all over to gather and mingle. It was Jo's sassy personality and sense of humor that drew Rory to her, besides the fact that she was female. All Rory knew before her were the Winchesters, but she was grateful for both Jo and her mother. They'd given her a different outlook on life, from a females perspective. She finally had people who she could confide in about girl problems, and no reason to feel embarrassed about it. Jo was more than happy to have someone around the same age group as her too. She'd clung onto the Singer the moment they met, and they've been friends ever since. Though Rory could never stay too long, they made sure to keep in touch whenever they needed each other.

 _"Why is it so hard for you to just spit it out though Rore? I mean seriously. The matter put you through the ringer for so long. You went through a lot. Alone. You had the perfect opportunity to let him know that. Angry or not, something could've been said."_ Jo spoke, considerate of her friends' feelings, knowing they were all over the place.

 _"_ I just-...didn't want him to freak out. It's Dean-"

 _"Don't remind me."_

"No one on the face of this earth has ever used his name and the words 'baby' and 'father' in the same sentence. **_Ever._** He would react horribly." Rory expressed, imagining the look on Dean's face had she told him the real reason why she was so upset with him.

"And then to find out that I-...that I lost the baby on top of that it-" She choked up, the emotion nearly cutting off her air supply at the memory.

 _"But he'd react. He'd react and then you guys could finally move on from this and fix things. I mean do you two even know where you stand?"_

"No. We never got that deep into the issue before I split. _**Fuck.**_ " She cursed in frustration. It didn't at all go how she'd hoped it would've.

 _"So you're basically floating in the air. You're not boyfriend and girlfriend, you're not friends with benefits...are you even friends?"_

"I think so? I mean we kissed goodbye. That's gotta count for something right? Friends with benefits maybe?" Rory cringed, having not the slightest idea.

 _"Do you even still wanna be friends with him?"_

"I wanted to be his wife Jo! I mean not in that moment, but eventually! I wanted all of that with him I-..." She let the lone tear slip out of it's cage before swiping at it furiously.

"I wanted the baby." She wept silently, staring stonily out of her windshield, the memory of her darkest day to date haunting her all over again. It was like reopening a wound.

 _"I know you did..."_

"And when he finds out what happened, he's gonna hate me. He'll never want anything else with me ever again." Jo sighed on the other end of the phone, feeling for her best friend.

 _"It's gonna be okay Rore."_

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1\. "Blue Velvet Sea" - Justin Nozuka**

 **2\. "Tonight" - Kings Of Leon**

 **3\. "Cocaine" - Eric Clapton**

* * *

 **Hey! So I'm especially happy to deliver this chapter to you all! You can gain better insight on the situation with Dean and Aurora! I HOPE haha! But don't worry, even if it's still a little hard to understand, I promise you will in the near future. I just wanted to touch base with their story and pull away from the original plot for a moment. We'll uncover some more in the next coupe of chapters, might even throw another throwback in the mix ;)**

 **I'm also happy to see that I have received some reviews! I'd like to shout out those people quickly! So shout out to AfireLove1998 and Suou Neko for the love and support :) I really appreciate it! As for everyone else! Thanks so much for taking the time to read any of this story! I'm having so much fun!**

 **Okay so that's all I have to say for now! Make sure to leave your love for more frequent adds!**

 **Until next add!**

 **xo**


	12. Sweet Home Sioux

**Bobby's**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

Rory blinked open her eyes, awakening from her thirteen hour slumber. The room was hazy, slightly blurry as her vision settled clearly after a few moments. The silence was the first thing she'd noticed. Not the sound of coffee hissing on its pot, not the sound of her alarm, not the ringing of her phone. She hadn't noticed anything else but the silence.

The smirk played gently at the corner of her lips as she took a deep breath in and exhaled while turning her head to the left to look out of her window on the second floor.

She'd made it home in one piece. The drive took its toll on her body undoubtedly the moment she walked through the door with her duffel in hand. She didn't even have the energy to go and find her father to announce her arrival. Instead, she'd dropped the bag on the couch, and drug her feet across the hall and right up the stairs as she bee-lined it to her bedroom at the far end of the second floor.

Her eyes tore away from the window to slowly dance around her bedroom. It was exactly as she'd left it, besides the fresh sheets on her bed that she knew her father had probably changed when he found the time during her absence. She couldn't believe she'd been gone for so long. She couldn't believe that even after being gone for so long, this place still felt like home. Rory had contemplated time and time again on getting a place of her own. She was twenty-four years old. It was a decent mark in her lifespan for her to broaden her independence, but thinking about it realistically, the hunters life made it far too difficult to do. She was never in one place for too long, she'd have to decide on a place, and it'd have to be way below her pay grade for it to be affordable, not to mention the process of demon and spirit proofing the entire place would be a pain in the ass.

It was just unrealistic.

She sighed, sticking her eyes on the ceiling for a second before moving her gaze to the picture on her nightstand of her and Dean. She was eighteen dating the time it was taken, which made Dean an amazingly handsome twenty year old. His arm was thrown lazily around her shoulders as she leaned into his side. They stood posed in front of the Singer household, just by the front porch steps. He wasn't smiling, Dean, thinking it would do the picture a lot better if he pulled a 'blue steel' look. His eyes were squinted as the sunlight lit up the hazel flecks in them, while his lips relaxed in a straight line. His free hand rested casually in his front pocket. Rory had a shorter hair length at eighteen, the shoulder length cut was a huge difference from the long mid back length she had now. It was even darker in color, a dirty blonde with slashes of golden highlights back then. It was a downgrade from her natural beach blonde sun kissed tresses.

She smirked at the framed memory, instantly missing Dean, but she shook the feeling clean from her system. She had come home for a reason. It was imperative, something that needed to be done. She wanted this right now.

That didn't mean she didn't miss the hell out of those Winchesters though.

* * *

"Where the hell have you been, ya idjit." Bobby's voice no matter how badly he tried to keep it serious, had softened the moment Aurora walked into the kitchen that afternoon. She paused at the doorway, carefully analyzing the situation while trying to figure out the best way out of it.

"Saving lives and kickin ass with the Winchesters." She replied smartly, able to see that her repercussions weren't as bad as she thought it would've been the moment he'd thrown those soft eyes on her. Though, she could still see the agitation towards her.

"And by Winchesters you mean Sam and Dean? Together? For the last half a year?" His interrogated with squinted eyes.

"Well Sam kinda just rejoined the group, it was just Dean and I." She answered obediently.

"And by Dean and you, you mean just you?" Bobby rose his brow in question, earning the same action from Rory as she fell into confusion.

"Come again?"

"I know." He stated plainly.

Shit. She thought.

"Ya lost me." She tried to cover, keeping a straight face.

"I know that Dean wasn't with you. Now you better start talking, or it ain't gonna be too warn of a homecoming for you." Bobby threatened, sitting forward in his seat. Just behind him, resting on the kitchen counter, she could see his shotgun. She squinted at it.

Would he actually shoot me for lying? She thought to herself.

"While I still have my hearing kid." Bobby gruffed, pulling her out of her head.

"I'm-..Wait-how'd you find that out?–"

"Even you can't be that clueless to think I wouldn't find out. Hunters talk. Especially when one, a Winchester in particular, busts in just in time to save their life. A buddy of mine, Lester, out in Marshalltown told me about Dean saving his butt during a hunt for a demon back in June. Nearly lost his throat to the damn thing before he showed up."

"Hold on a minute, Marshalltown?! _**That's** _ where he was then?!...Son of a bi–"

"What do you mean that's where he was th-did that moron leave you somewhere?!" The realization hit her like a slap in the face. She could feel the blood rush up to her cheeks and she fixed her lips to say something, only nothing left them.

 _Double shit,_ she cursed mentally.

She cringed, feeling any softness to her father slip away out the crack of the kitchen window.

"Define leave?" Bobby shot up out of his chair causing her to take step back. She knew he wouldn't actually get physical, not in a million years, but his words were just as effective.

"Ariel." She slumped at the sound of her name, she couldn't stand it. The moment she heard it leave his lips, she recoiled in disgust. She could never understand how anyone could find the beauty in it. Dean had told her time and time again that it was a nice name. 'Nice' being the exact word he used to describe it, which meant that it was probably a lie coming from him.

"We were going through some stuff." She tried to tip toe around the real truth, being that Dean had actually ditched her in Ohio in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again until a week and a half ago.

"I'll kill him." Bobby jumped up from his seat to walk over to the phone across the room.

"Dad–"

"I don't wanna hear it!–"

"Don't make a big deal out of nothing!" She went to follow behind him as he made his way towards the wall with at least five cordless phones. Ones he used for every alias he had, each labelled with a different government agency so that the both of them could keep better track of whom was trying to be contacted.

"This isn't nothing Ariel. I told that boy to look after you! And you mean to tell me he ditched you–"

"He didn't do it on purpose!" She argued. hanging up the phone he'd picked up to most likely call Dean and tell him off. She held her hand over the phone so that he couldn't pick it up again and stared him deep in the eyes trying to get him to see reason.

"That ain't reason enough!"

"I know!" She returned harshly, Bobby's eyes were wild with anger towards the Winchester and she slumped at the look, her eyes drooping at the corners as the guilt settled over her heart. She shouldn't have stayed away for so long. But he had to understand that she'd done it for good reason. There was no way she could've returned home to him in that state. She was broken, and only now beginning to put herself back together again. That was her weight to bare, not her father's.

"…But I've made my peace with it. And I just wanna move on from that already if you don't mind." She told him, begging with her eyes as she softened her tone.

Bobby could see the pain, and he knew that something terrible had happened, he knew her well enough to tell. But he also knew that she was a tough girl. Hell, he'd raised her himself. He knew that whatever may or may not have happened, she could handle it, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Aurora."

"Dad. I'm good. Okay? Just-…leave it alone. I'm in one piece and safe back at home. Let's...let's celebrate that." She spoke, leaving Bobby no choice but to give in for the time being.

"...You hungry?" He asked after a few moments. Rory sighed in relief, letting her hand drop from the phone, and leaned her body up against the same wall, crossing her arms over her chest with a sweet smirk.

"Starving."

* * *

"So where were you when..." Bobby trailed off, not sure he wanted to say 'when Dean took off' out of fear of doing something stupid while being blinded by his anger.

"Some backwoods motel in Ohio." She shrugged casually.

"Did you hunt afterwards?" He asked.

"I tried a few on my own. Dealt with a ghoul somewhere out in Minnesota. A few other simple tasks, ghosts and vengeful spirits. Tried to keep it light since I was two men short." Rory explained over a hot cup of freshly poured coffee. She was especially happy to know that her father had finally gotten around to buying a new one.

He groaned in response, not at all happy with the way she'd spent her time alone.

"Kept a low profile?" He asked.

"Always." She smirked.

Hunting alone wasn't something that Rory was ever opposed to doing, but she definitely noticed the absence of the Winchesters while doing so. She had to remember time and time again to watch her own back, and she'd learned that the hard way. It was weird at first, but eventually she got the hang of things. But if she had it her way, she'd have the boys by her side every time.

"Injuries?"

"Dislocated shoulder at the most. Nothing serious." She replied smoothly, tapping a finger on the table as she looked at him, seeing the uneasiness in his eyes.

"Where are those idjits now?" He rolled his eyes earning a smirk from Rory.

"Well, I got a text from Dean this morning saying they were on some hunt for what they think might be the lochness monster." She answered earning a snort from the older man.

"I'unno." She shrugged it off. When she'd gotten the text from Dean she'd laughed her ass off, knowing Sam and him were probably biting each other's faces off. A part of her wished she could be there to see it, but she knew she had to be here now.

"Yeah well, I'm sure they'll figure it out without you." Bobby said, hoping she wasn't thinking to up and leave and go aid the boys when he'd only just gotten her back.

It fell silent over the two, for a long moment. Rory bit her lip gently, debating on whether or not now was a good time to bring up what's been bothering her.

"Alright. Spill." Bobby sighed, shifting in his seat.

"I don't know if I should."

Rory had thought long and hard about what this could mean. The things that had been happening to her recently were anything but ordinary. It was a feeling she couldn't shake, as though it had bonded with her soul.

"What is it?" Bobby frowned, catching the alarming glimpse she'd given him in return.

She fixed her lips to speak, licking them quickly.

"I-..I'm not sure how to explain it. It's just...a feeling. I've been noticing things. It's like-..." She trailed off, unable to place her thoughts into words.

Bobby squinted with worry, not liking the seriousness in her eyes.

"Rory. What things?" He pressed, leaning over slightly.

"I-...just _**things.**_ " She answered gnawing her jaw, unsure in the eyes using her hands to animate how stressful the dilemma with her really was.

"Back in Jericho, we were in a forest hunting a Wendigo, the boys and I, and...walking through it, I just...got this overwhelming feeling every time I was near...every time I-...it was like a gravitational pull that I felt towards nature. It's like it-it calmed me. Brought me peace." She tried again as the memory of that feeling resurfaced in her mind. Bobby was lost for words at that point, unsure of what to say, feeling that whatever he did say wouldn't give the answers she needed.

"Well, you've always been an outdoor enthusiast if I remember correctly, kid." Bobby tried, but he knew. He was aware of her odd fascination with Mother Nature. Hell he'd found her in a bed of flowers. There had to be some kind of synchronicity there. He could feel it, but there was nothing, not one thing in the books that could tell him what it was-

"Every time I touched a plant or a tree or..the ground...something would surge through me, like an energy." Her gaze fled to the tiny pot plant in the corner of the kitchen near the door, one she'd bought to help the house breathe years ago from the market in town. She noticed how withered and browned the leaves were at the edges, so much so they would crunch and break just by the slightest touch. She stood up in a hurry, practically lunging over to the corner to tend to it.

"Rory?"Bobby rose his brow at her sudden urgency.

"I told you to look after it while I was gone dad." She scolded, tone coarse, her voice shaking with sadness as her fingers began to tremble. She reached out a hand towards it, crouching down all the while.

Bobby looked on in confusion. Opening his mouth to speak but cancellation the action the moment he witnessed what he had.

Rory felt the pull again, this time from somewhere deep inside of her chest, from the depths of what felt like her soul, and without hesitation, she touched the stem, feeling almost rejuvenated the moment she made contact. Her eyes closed shut as she sucked in a sharp deep breath, surrendering to the feeling, and she could notice the difference this time around. Instead of the energy absorbing into her like it had back at Blackwater, it felt as though it were leaving her.

Bobby practically leaped up from this seat, ready to run to her aid when it looked as though she'd pass out, but froze once he'd seen what she'd done.

With a new found source of life, the dead plant slowly uncurled from its cripple and broken position, and from the root, began to blossom from it's brittle brown color only to regain its green tone as it stood straight in posture again. The leaves hung loose but healthily as it reclaimed it's life.

Rory exhaled and peeled her eyes open slowly, looking palely at what she'd done. She stumbled back a couple of steps from the initial shock and the loss of energy, her gaze flashed down to her hands as she held them up to examine them in fear. Terror leaked from her eyes as she haltingly turned on the balls of her feet.

The silence in the room was thick enough to be cut with a knife. She felt her heart pound in her chest, and flickered her gaze over to her father upon the sound of his foot stepping back. He slowly met her stare, eyes wide.

"I...I think something's happening to me." She breathed into the room.

* * *

"There's nothing." Bobby's shoulders collapsed in defeat as he sighed.

He and Rory had retired to his office, reading every book on every lore, theory, or myth they could think of. Just like they had back when he found her all those years ago. The stress was creeping around the corner again, and Bobby could feel the tension in the room. He knew no result would only bring on negative feelings within the young woman.

"There can't be nothing dad, there has to be something. _**Anything.**_ " She stressed.

"I'm telling you Aurora, there ain't a thing in here that describes even the slightest thing that's happening to you-"

"That's impossible! There's always an explanation! Always! You taught me that!" She yelled, not meaning to, but the reality of what was happening was beginning to set a panic over her heart. She needed to be able to explain and understand what was going on.

She had to.

"We need to dig deeper, get answers from someone...or something."She watched him for a reaction she was sure was coming. Bobby's face fell dull.

"You wanna ask a supernatural creature? Are you outta your mind?"

"No! Dad! You saw what I did in there! I saw the look in your eyes okay?! I scared you! What I am?! What I can do?! It's not normal. It's-...It shouldn't be." She slumped and her chest heaved. She wouldn't give up. Her feet carried her over to her father.

"We need to keep looking." She spoke with determination.

"I've been looking for years ever since I found you out in that field! Don't you think I would've found something, anything at all by now if there was something to look for?!-"

"I DON'T KNOW!" She blew, eyes wild as she began to pace the room. She came to a slow stop, bringing her hands up, with her palms facing up as she watched them with trepidation.

"Maybe...maybe this is more than we think. Maybe...what-...I just need to know what I am." The fear worked it's way around her throat, ready to strangle her and she swallowed, preparing herself.

"Maybe I'm one of them." She breathed, the line that had always separated her from the the creatures she hunted was beginning to blur.

"No." Bobby's voice was hard, ready to cut out any doubt in the room. He stepped forward to her, resting a hand on the back of her shoulder, forcing her to turn and face him.

"You are not one of them. You know that." He pushed, hoping she could see how much he believed in her. She could never be the things he hunted. This was Rory they were talking about, the girl he'd raised for nearly thirteen years. There wasn't an ounce of evil in that girl. And he'd been around evil long enough to see it.

"Do I?" She frowned, the color of her eyes deepening as they saddened with dismay.

"When you found me in that field that night...tell me you weren't ready to hunt me." She told him. Bobby frowned, slightly shaking his head.

Yes. He wanted to hunt her, it was clear to him that something about her was different, strange even, but evil?

"No." He answered.

Rory smiled sadly, exhaling gently as she looked up into his eyes.

"It's times like this I wish I didn't know you well enough to tell when you're lying." She spoke, before reaching to pat his arm gently and stepping around him to leave the room.

Bobby kept his gaze straight ahead, listening to the patter of her steps as she left him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 ** **1\. "Composed" by MUTEMATH****

* * *

 **I know it's been a few days! I apologize, school's been kind of hectic!**

 **So what do we think about this chapter guys? Obviously something is happening with Rory, something no one has a clue about. Will She become desperate in her search to figure out just what she is? Will she result to calling Sam and Dean for help? What do you think Bobby should do?**

 **Next chapter will focus on Dean and Rory's past a little more :)**

 **Tell me what you think! Leave your love! I'll be sure to add some more later if I find the time!**

 **xo**


	13. Take A Break

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Bobby's**  
 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**  
 **About A Month Late r**

Rory smirked as she raised the phone to her ear after answering the incoming call from Dean. It was good to hear his voice.

"How's the flying demon?" She spoke in her usual sultry rasp kissed voice as she stared straight ahead at the wall waiting for a response she had a feeling wasn't going to be good.

 _"Oh it's a **buncha'** fun. Sam here says we have to fly."_ Dean complained on the other end of the line, the frustration and irritation obvious in his tone.

"Oy.." She cringed, knowing this wouldn't be easy to talk him through.

 _"What? What's wrong? Who's that?"_ She heard Sam faintly in the background.

 _"It's Rory. And, I kind of have this problem with, uh..."_ Dean trailed off. Rory could only picture him with the blood settled nicely under his cheeks, and felt the amusement pull at the corner of her lip.

"Put me on speaker." She spoke.

 _"You're on."_

 _"What's going on Dean we gotta go–"_

"He's got a fear of flying Sammy." Rory waited patiently as the line went quiet. She could only imagine the looks the brothers were exchanging with each other right then.

 _"...It's never really been an issue until now."_ Dean started _._

 _"You're joking, right?" Said Sam._

 _"Do I look like I'm joking? Why do you think I drive everywhere, Sam?"_ Dean exclaimed, the embarrassment leaking from his voice.

 _"All right. Uh, I'll go."_

"Hold on-"

 _"What?"_ Rory asked for him Sam to repeat himself, not thinking she heard right.

 _"I'll do this one on my own."_ she heard him reply, almost immediately shaking her head no in disagreement.

"Sam no. Dean–"

 _"What are you, nuts? You said it yourself, the plane's gonna crash."_ Dean returned, the frustration evident in his tone. If it were anywhere near close to a light circumstance, Rory would've found humour in his inner turmoil, but she knew of the trauma that flying actually had on Dean's heart.

It was just something he couldn't do easily.

 _"Dean, we can do it together, or I can do this one by myself. I'm not seeing a third option, here."_

"Dean just suck it up. You can't let Sammy do this one alone he'll need help. Plus he'll be right there with you the whole time." She begged. It was one thing that she couldn't be around to help save the day, which is why Dean had to do this. She didn't wanna have to worry about Sammy being alone. They needed one another.

She could hear the eye roll through the phone.

 _"It upsets me that you think Sam's presence is anywhere near comforting."_ Dean barked, earning a hint of a smirk from her.

"Well I'd be there if I could be, but I've got my own demons that need handling." She admit, missing them even more and wishing she could have them around to help her with her problems.

 _"Come on! Really? Man..."_

"Safe flight. Call me when it's over." She spoke, glad to know they'd be tackling this demon together. She hung up, not waiting for a reply and blew a sigh as her phone buzzed in her hand.

 **If I die, I'll kill you.**

Rory snorted at the text from Dean and tossed her phone over her shoulder, listening to the patted noise as it hit the plush comforter spread freshly over her bed. Running both hands through her unkempt tresses and then down her face, she sighed feeling the stress creep silently up her back like it always did in times of peace and quiet.

It was getting harder and harder to ignore it.

She and Bobby had been searching as hard as they both possibly could it felt like. There wasn't a shred of a hint printed in any form of literature around. It was beginning to drive her crazy, and she could feel the shift inside of her. Not knowing, not having the slightest idea of her background was killing her inside, no matter how much she tried to put on a smile and act as though everything were fine. It killed her every time that Dean or Sam called to check in. All she wanted was to express just how much this was taking from her.

It'd been almost a month since she'd last seen the boys, and though it pained her to stay away for so long, especially from Dean, but she refused to give up her search.

Her legs willingly carried her towards the door, and on the way out, she grabbed the book of mythical creatures she'd been reading for the last week that sat on the dresser nearest to the door.

Hopeful that today would be a day she got the answers she wanted.

* * *

 _Violent and viscous it stood tall on all fours, glaring daggers at her with piercing fiery gold eyes, they were hypnotizing. Rory couldn't look away. It was like a pull, every part of her was gravitating towards it. Every thought she could hear, every feeling, every beat of its heart, acted as her own._

 _She could feel the fierceness in its nature, and chose not to acknowledge it with fear, but with bravery instead. In the wind, it's mane blew softly and majestic. Rory had never seen anything so beautiful. It almost brought her to her knees. She could feel them wanting to buckle beneath her, and the moment it stepped forward she locked them into place, knowing that any sudden movements could trigger an attack from the creature if it felt threatened. It was a miracle it hadn't made an attempt already._

 _Slowly the lion approached Rory, and an odd feeling, one she wasn't expecting began to cloud over her. A calm. Serene and sweetly they eyed each other, and the feline came to a stop about a foot away. Rory smirked in fascination, but her lips soon pulled downward into a frown as pain began to bubble up and burn in the centre of her chest, just under her flesh._

 _She cringed, not understanding what it was or what it meant and kept her gaze on her companion. In her mind she could hear it, calling to her, the connection between them strengthening as if it were binding them in every sense._

 _Ariel…_

* * *

"Ariel. Hey." Bobby's voice and the grip on her shoulder woke her from her sleep. Rory jolted as her lids ripped open, her hand raced to her chest to grip the material of her flannel as the sharp intake of breath triggered the pain laying underneath began to fade, but it wasn't quick enough. She grimaced, blinking repeatedly until her vision cleared..

"Hm?" She hummed a response, doing her best to ignore the intense sting in her chest. The skin was tender and burning as if someone had poked her with a hot prod.

"You alright? You were talking in your sleep." Her father asked, handing her a glass of whiskey, one which she gladly accepted before tossing it back. He watched her curiously but shook it off as he made his way across the way to his favorite chair.

Rory followed him with her gaze, mind absent and trying to remember the dream she'd just had, but nothing but the voice in her head calling her name was resurfacing. She sighed and shook her head clear for a moment, rubbing softly at her chest.

"Uh sorry, yeah, yeah I'm okay." She apologized, looking around the house, her eyes shot to the windows, noticing the sun setting. She'd must've been asleep for a while, but found that hard to believe since she hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep.

"Find anything in there?" Bobby pointed to the worn book of mythical creatures in her lap as he took a swig from the bottle. Rory was slightly surprised to witness the action, given her father wasn't really a drinker. He rarely picked up an alcoholic beverage let alone drank straight from the bottle. Only when he was stressed did he ever do that.

But she guessed these times were stressful enough.

"Nah. Not a lick. I mean I thought I might've been onto something when I read up on Sprites, but I don't fly and I sure as hell don't roll around in dew all day." She sighed once the pain had finally let up entirely, making it easier to breathe.

"A Sprite? Like a Fairie?" Bobby asked, watching as Rory adjusted in her seat into a more comfortable position. He tipped his brow in doubt as Rory shrugged.

"They're actually pretty different from one another, you'd be surprised." She answered, picking up the book to set it down on the table along with her empty glass.

"Shocking." Bobby mused without any humor in his tone causing Rory to chuckle emptily. It grew quiet, and though it was comfortable for Bobby, Rory felt the anxiety seeping in through her pores, that same pain from earlier lingering faintly under her chest.

"I just want answers–"

"Why not take a break?" He stopped her dead in her tracks. She stared, dropping her previous thought to register his question.

"...A break?" She asked, as if she hadn't heard right the first time.

"From the books." Her father answered.

"Why would I?" She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as her blonde tresses curtained the frame of her face.

"Because kid, you look like hell. And I know exhaustion when I see it. You need to give it a rest."

"Dad I'm f–"

"There's a hunt, in Nazareth, about a few thousand feet in the air...why not go help solve that?" Her ears perked at the sound of his words and her brows rose in surprise.

He knew about the hunt the boys were currently on, which didn't surprise her, Bobby kept tabs on everything. More so, he was telling her to go back to them after begging months her to leave them and come back home.

 _ **Well this is a plot twist**_ , she thought.

"Are-are you suggesting I go hunt with the boys?" she snorted in amusement. She knew it was anything but easy for Bobby to spill those words. He rolled his eyes and leaned forward to rest the bottle on the table.

"No. I'm suggesting you go and do what obviously helps keep you sane and functional." He gruffed in return, the distaste for her love for the hunt evident in his voice. There were days he wished he never welcomed her into the hunters life.

"What are you talking about, I am sane and functional." She answered, shoulders hopping. She kept her voice light and slapped on a smirk to further annoy her father who only looked on dryly.

"Yeah?" His brow tipped.

"Yeah, but then again I mean..are any of us really sane and functional? I mean we hunt monsters and Sprites for God sakes." She chuckled earning a sigh of frustration from Bobby.

"You're missing my point–"

"You're scared I'm gonna spiral outta control because of the stress. Right?" She cut him off, already recognizing her father's concern for her mental health.

His silence was answer enough.

"Well I won't dad. I'm stronger than that c'mon." She spoke, standing to her feet, the pain under her chest stiffened it causing her to wince in the slightest, but she was quick to wipe the look from her face before her guardian could read it. Bobby snorted, eyes on his daughter as she stretched her legs.

"Yeah don't I know it. I raised you remember." He answered with a slight shake of his head.

It was Rory's turn to roll her eyes.

Clearly he wasn't going to buy whatever she was selling.

"And you never let me live it down-look. I'll be okay. I just want to get this figured out so I can breathe easy that's all. But if you want me to take a break so bad fine." She flapped her arms up and made towards the back door that led to the yard.

"Where you going?" He called out, not sure what was happening. He hoped he hadn't upset her, he just didn't want her to dig too deep into this. Most importantly,

Not like what she found.

"I'll be out back!" She drawled out.

There was a perfectly good Chevy out there that could use some reconstructing. And given her latest frustrations, she couldn't imagine any other place or thing to show it.

At the sound of the door opening and shutting closed Bobby's chest deflated as he stared straight ahead. His plan to get her to relax had completely backfired on him. He was hoping she'd take the bait and bail, possibly find solace with the boys while they hunt, leaving him to take on the stress of her problems, as a good parent should.

He didn't want this to ruin her.

He'd do anything to keep that from happening.

But for some reason, he felt that this was completely out of their hands.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It's not really anything exciting I'll admit, more of a filler even, but it's working up to something great and needed to be posted :). I promise you the next chapter will be a lot better!  
**

 **Aside from that, how'd you guys feel about this chapter? Seems like Rory is beginning to let things overwhelm her a bit no? Do we want Rory back with the boys yet? Let me know your thoughts! I appreciate all the love I've received thus far! Seriously guys :)**

 **stay tuned for more! I should have another add up by tonight!**

 **xo**


	14. Boys & Girls

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Bobby's**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **Summer of 1993**

The air was warm, crisp and tanning against her skin. She loved the way it made her feel, content and still with her surroundings. It was reassuring in a way, let her know that everything, though still a bit alarming and unfamiliar, would be okay.

She even had her curtains pulled apart just enough so that the Suns rays could slip through and beat against the skin on her face and shed an angelic glow in her bedroom every morning around sunrise. It was the first thing she woke to everyday, setting a warmth around her heart, and her most favourite thing to do since she'd finally gotten used to sleeping in her bed.

It was beautiful, this place.

The sweet soundtrack of metal clanking against steel had become music to Aurora's ears. She smirked and tore her gaze away from the clear sky only to land it on the bent figure of Bobby as he stood hunched over the exposed engine of an old pick up he'd taken in only a few hours ago for a tune up from one of his customers.

It was impressive, the way he made life by mechanics and hunting bad guys, and was able to remain consistent and content by that way of life. A cop, he said he was. He'd explained to her time and time again about the things he'd done to keep people safe, or save their lives. She didn't think it were possible for one man to have accomplish so much over the span of forty-three years. And though most of it was hard to believe, she knew Bobby was a good man, which meant his word was good too.

The pausing of her soundtrack pulled her out of her daze, and she found Bobby looking at her with questionable eyes.

"You hungry kid?" He asked. Aurora stilled, waiting for an answer from her stomach, but slouched when nothing happened.

"I don't think so." She answered, slightly unsure causing Bobby to smirk with amusement.

She truly was something peculiar.

"Okay then." He answered, thinking to say something else, but stopping himself once he'd noticed Aurora's eyes shift over his shoulder. He furrowed his brows for a moment before following her gaze only to find an all too familiar Impala turning in and rolling down his gravel path.

"You have another customer Bobby." Aurora's sweet voice rang out cheerfully. Bobby scoffed to himself, pulling the rag from over his shoulder and tossing it over the engine he slowly walked up to meet the approaching vehicle halfway. Aurora sprung up onto her feet to follow her guardian down the property, curiosity in every step.

"Not a customer." He replied.

From where she stood she could spot the man in the drivers seat, and the younger boy in the seat next to him, and it pulled a grin out of her.

 _ **A new friend my age would be great!**_ She thought.

Her young feet pittered quickly behind her guardian as he moved, and she made sure to stay behind him and kept her eyes on his back, feeling the nerves work their way through her body the closer they got. She could hear the doors open, three of them, causing her to furrow her brows. She'd only seen two bodies in the car. She peeked around him.

"John." Bobby's voice was sound. It was a different tone, one Aurora wasn't used to hearing, but one she could distinguish.

"Bobby?" John replied, slinging a bag over his shoulder. Aurora stayed hidden as best she could, though she was sure by the question in John's voice, he'd seen her already.

"Long time boys." Her guardian answered.

"Has it been about..twelve years long already?" John replied, amusement evident in his voice as he glanced at Aurora, earning a chuckle from Bobby.

"Apparently so. What brings you down here?" He asked, although he already knew the answer. It was in the two duffel bags most likely filled with snacks and clothes and the two adolescent boys behind John.

"I've uh, got a hunt I'm lookin' to work. Might be gone a few days–"

"Uncle Bobby? Who's that?" His voice was young, high-pitched and innocent as he stood by his older brother.

Aurora's ears perked at the sound of the friendly voice, and on the mental count of three, she stepped out to the right to reveal herself. Wavy thick tresses curtained her face as she smiled softly for the men before her. She threw eyes on the boys, taking them in for who they were there in front of her. The smaller one, the one who'd spoken first between the two, was a light. Something about the energy surrounding him was bright and innocent, yet heavy and drowning. She wasn't sure how to feel at first, but decided after a moment that he would make a good friend. Just by the way he smiled, she could tell.

"...Hi." She beamed.

"Uh. Sammy, Dean..John, this is uh Aurora. She's-...she's gonna be staying with me for a while."

The silence was deafening, even out in the open like that. There wasn't one sound that could drown out the awkwardness. Though Aurora couldn't pick up on it. She was too busy grinning from ear to ear.

"Like...forever?" Asked the little one, who seemed to match her in height and size. She assumed he was Sammy. He seemed excited. She turned her gaze to him and smiled harder if possible.

Bobby didn't answer right away, and John picked up on that. He squinted at his friend, surprised highly by his revelation. His eyes darted between him and his...dependent.

"For as long as she wants." Bobby looked down at Aurora, who caught his eyes just in time to throw him a smirk.

"So she's like...your daughter now?" The voice was demanding, stealing all of Auroras attention the moment it hit the air. She turned her eyes onto the figure it belonged to.

She assumed it was Dean. His genuine confusion written all across his face was enough to pull a chuckle from John. Aurora zoned in on him, specifically the green in his eyes and the way the sun pointed out the hazel flecks in them.

Beautiful, she thought before she waved small at him.

Dean grimaced, adjusting the strap on his shoulder.

Aurora awkwardly dropped her hand to her side and shifted on her feet.

He had an attitude to him, one that felt familiar to her. Which meant she'd have to take a different approach to befriending him.

Or maybe Sam would be the only friend she made today.

"Dean." John spoke earning Auroras attention.

"You and Sam. Take your stuff inside." He ordered causing Dean to sigh, deliver one last look to Aurora, and trudge along the path leading up to the house. Aurora let him pass her by, keeping her eyes lit, and paused when she was met with a hand outstretched towards her.

"Hey. I'm Sam. Aurora right?" He greeted softly. Aurora smiled, and slowly linked hands with his in a shake.

"Yes. Hi Sam...you can call me Rory." She grinned, happy to have made a new friend.

"She's got her own room, I'll just set up some beds for the boys in my room and take the couch." The children listened idly to the grown men's conversation while carrying on their own.

"How old are you?" Sam asked, a set smirk on his lips.

"Twelve. You?" Rory answered with excitement, ticking some fly away hairs behind her ear. She'd said just as she and Bobby had rehearsed time and time again.

 _ **Aurora Ariel Singer, born March 12th, 1981, from Souix Falls, South Dakota**_ , she thought. It was her mantra.

"I-I just turned ten in May." He replied.

"That's cool!"

"It'll only be for a few days." John watched the two children interact, while holding his conversation with Bobby.

"It's fine. Just be back when it's over with. I'm still getting used to one kid." Bobby cracked, earning a hearty chortle from John.

"Thanks." He returned.

"Sammy." On call, Sam turned to face his father.

"Grab Dean for me." He ordered, and not a second later did Sam run after his brother, leaving Rory to look after him.

"Aurora is it?" She turned forward at the sound of his voice, slightly thrown off by how nervous she felt when she met his powerful gaze. There was something soft yet hard about him.

She shied away from his gaze, kicking at the pebbles on the ground.

"Yes." She answered.

"I'm John Winchester, those two you met earlier, those are my boys Sam and Dean." She worked up the courage to look him in the eyes, and was glad to find that they'd softened.

"They're nice." She answered, earning a dimpled grin from the older man.

"Give Dean a minute, he could be a grouch." Bobby chimed in, earning a giggle from Rory.

"They're gonna be spending a few days here with you and Bobby. Do you mind?" He asked, peering down at her.

Aurora shook her head no. She'd love to have the company. Not that Bobby wasn't fun, but it'd be nice to experience a younger crowd.

"Alright then." John answered just as Dean and Sam rejoined them.

"Boys, I'm taking off. I'll be back in a few days. Remember the rules, and be nice to Aurora, Dean that means you."

"But I–"

"Behave yourselves." John stressed with warning.

"Bye dad." Sam waved, and Aurora was sure she sensed sadness in his voice, but brushed it off, watching as Jihnnmade his way to his car.

"See ya dad." Said Dean.

"It was nice seein' ya again Bobby. Aurora, nice to meet you." John smirked before getting in.

Aurora smiled and turned to Sam, her new friend.

"Is your dad a cop too?" She asked, the question burning the back of her mind.

Sam grinned, and chuckled.

"Yeah. Something like that." He answered.

"Cool!" She beamed and turned to Dean who had a far off look on his face as he watched the car drive off.

He seemed sad too.

"...Wanna see what I'm building out back?" She asked, hoping to take his mind off of his father's departure.

Dean looked at her, tipping up a brow in question. He couldn't believe Bobby had actually taken someone in, let alone a girl. A girl who built stuff in his backyard. A girl he'd let build stuff in his backyard. Something about her was off, but he wasn't sure it was in the bad way. Still, he was curious.

 _ **What makes her so special that Uncle Bobby would take her in?**_ He asked himself.

"...What is it?" He asked, keeping his voice dull and void of any emotion, because let's face it, he wouldn't be here long enough to form any kind of friendship with her. They'd be gone before she could blink.

"Ever hear of a Mustang?" Aurora whispered as if it were some big secret, earning a weird look from Dean.

"Everyone has..." He answered, causing her face to fall.

"Oh...well...that's it." Aurora was becoming well aware of the fairly new world around her and all it had to offer her, and sometimes, she forgot that others had been around longer. It was moments like that, that brought her back to the fact that she wasn't like the others. She wasn't normal. At least she didn't feel normal. The story that Bobby told her about when he first found her in a bed of fresh flowers in the middle of the night played over and over in her mind everyday, as a cruel reminder that there was more to her, so much more that she'd forgotten. Somehow.

It made her sad.

"...Can I see it?" Dean's voice gripped and pulled her out of her mind. She eyed him softly, and he could see the sadness pooling in her gaze.

He wasn't sure what he'd said that might've changed her mood, but after witnessing the sadness in her eyes, he felt bad, and didn't wanna be responsible for putting it there, ever. So it made him happy the moment the smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

"Sure!" She beamed, thinking maybe she'd make three new friends after all.

* * *

 **So we got another blast from the past chapter up! Hope you all enjoyed it :) I know I enjoyed writing it. I personally loved writing John into the scene. AND we got to see a little glimpse of how Thor was born. We'll dig deeper into her past in the near future :)**

 **Tell me what you thought! There's more coming, different timeframe, so stay tuned!**

 **xo.**


	15. Nick of Time

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish! :)**

* * *

 **Some Backwoods Motel**

 **Outside Oaklahoma**

 **March 29th, 2006**

"Dean, I know where we have to go next." Sam spoke as his eyes darted between the two pictures in his hand as the realization hit him, leaving Dean to look on in confusion.

"Where?" He asked.

"Back home–back to Kansas." Sam answered.

"Okay, random. Where'd that come from?" Dean frowned, the lines on his forehead deepening. Sam rushed over to show the photo to his brother, hurrying to get him on board before they missed their chance.

"All right, um, this photo was taken in front of our old house, right? The house where Mom died?" He spoke.

"Yeah." Dean answered, hating every moment he had to relive that night. It was itching to avoid the subject, but knew better than to turn away from Sam.

"And it didn't burn down, right? I mean, not completely, they rebuilt it, right?" Sam continued eagerly.

"I guess so, yeah. What the hell are you talkin' about?" Dean asked, growing agitated, wishing Aurora were in the room to help calm him. If anyone knew how to make this conversation go over smoothly, it'd be her, but he knew better than to reach out. Especially since she hadn't reached out to them in almost a month. Last he heard she was onto something, something that could help her discover who or what she really was. He'd offered to drop everything and come out to help her nip it in the bud, but she'd declined their help, more so his, not wanting to pull them away from their search for their father.

He hated that he couldn't be more help, and it killed him to have to be away from her for so long without contact.

But he digressed, and figured it was probably for the best.

"Okay, look, this is gonna sound crazy but….the people who live in our old house–I think they might be in danger." Sam spilt, sitting across from him at the table for two.

"Why would you think that?" Dean was careful treading around his brothers predictions. For both their sakes.

Sam didn't look like he knew how to answer.

"Uh…it's just, um….look, just trust me on this, okay?" He mustered up and pushed up from the table to start packing his things. Dean sprang up soon after, not at all satisfied with the young Winchesters answer.

If he was gonna bring up Lawrence, he was gonna need a hell of a lot more to go on than that.

"Wait, whoa, whoa, trust you?" Dean started.

"Yeah." Sam answered, as if that were justifiable enough.

"Come on, man, that's weak. You gotta give me a little bit more than that." Dean barked, about two minutes from picking up his phone and dialling Rory.

"I can't really explain it is all." Sam said.

"Well, tough. I'm not goin' anywhere until you do." Dean matched, strong in his promise to stay out until he got a better explanation. Sam sighed as Dean waited expectantly.

"I have these nightmares."

"I've noticed." Dean answered not at all understanding how to connect the dots so far.

"And sometimes….they come true." Sam admit.

"Come again?" Dean answered, cutting through the pregnant pause, stunned.

"Look, Dean….I dreamt about Jessica's death–for days before it happened." Sam continued, his gut ready to spill all he'd been holding in.

"Sam, people have weird dreams, man. I'm sure it's just a coincidence." Dean spoke, taking a seat on the bed trippin the photo in his hand.

He'd definitely be calling Rory after this.

"No, I dreamt about the blood dripping, her on the ceiling, the fire, everything, and I didn't do anything about it 'cause I didn't believe it. And now I'm dreaming about that tree, about our house, and about some woman inside screaming for help. I mean, that's where it all started, man, this has to mean something, right?" Sam needed something, anything to make sense about all he'd been thinking.

"I don't know." Dean answered, his emotions rolling high. He had suddenly become overwhelmed with everything, finding it harder than usual to absorb information, and he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with Rory's absence, or his father's, or Sam's random deep dark secret.

Or all of the above.

Sam went to take a seat across from his brother.

"What do you mean you don't know, Dean? This woman might be in danger. I mean, this might even be the thing that killed Mom and Jessica!–"

"All right, just slow down, would ya?" Dean stood to his feet to begin pacing, his emotions nearly bubbling over in his chest ready to spill out of his mouth.

"I mean, first you tell me that you've got the Shining? And then you tell me that I've gotta go back home? Especially when…" Dean trailed off, his mind splitting every which way.

"When what?" Sam asked, unaware of his brothers inner turmoil.

All Dean could think of was the promise he made to himself.

The sadness clawed at his back, scraping away at his resolve, and then he found himself needing Aurora there to coax him.

"When I swore to myself that I would never go back there?" He answered.

"Look, Dean, we have to check this out. Just to make sure." Sam spoke soft and light, doing his best to help his brother through the trouble he was clearly having over the subject.

"I know we do." Dean sighed.

Sam sighed, thankful.

"Left my phone in the car, be right back." Dean said, feeling his pocket for the device he'd so carelessly left in the glove compartment of his beloved car.

"Yeah. Okay." Sam replied, watching his brother move for the door. He looked off to continue packing his things, seeing as they'd be leaving soon, but paused when he didn't hear the door open.

He turned around to see if Dean had changed his mind, only to find him by the window, staring out of it, back stiff and to him as he stood still.

"...Dean?" Sam uttered, sensing something off. Dean didn't move.

"Dude. There's a Ford GT parked outside next to the Impala." Dean spoke quick and quiet.

Sam furrowed his brows and went to move in beside him, but Dean darted for the door. As Sam looked on out the window, he squinted, noticing the all too familiar vehicle. His shoulders dropped as he spotted the rosary hanging from the rear-view mirror. The realization hit him.

"Dude, that's–"

"I uh, thought maybe you guys could use a third wheel?" The voice cut him off and pulled all of his attention towards the wide open door where Dean stood in shock.

The smile crept up into his lips at the sight of Rory.

"Rory?!" Her eyes danced to his as he came to stand behind his brother. She lit up, happy to see that both boys were still in one piece and without a scratch.

Though some sleep would do some good.

"Hey Sammy!" She beamed at her brother.

Sam grinned wide, showing all teeth for his sister.

Dean could've been brought to his knees at the sight of her smile alone. It was everything in his most vulnerable moments, and this being one of them, he had to grip the door knob just to keep his weight from collapsing.

He glued his eyes on her, and focused his attention on her presence. It was real. She was really here. And she looked even more beautiful if it were possible. Her blonde tresses more golden then usual, and he found himself wondering if it was just the sun. The flush in her cheeks granting her a natural look. She looked good, healthier.

Happier.

"Hey Dean." She greeted sweetly, turning her gaze on him, earning a grimace in return.

"What no phone call?" He scoffed, allowing his agitation to peak through. She'd ducked out of his life for weeks. There was no way she was getting off easy.

Whether her absence was bad karma or not.

Aurora cringed already knowing Dean wouldn't let her get away with her absence that easily.

"I can explain?" She shrugged hoping that'd be enough to hold him off. She'd missed them, but that wasn't the reason why she'd come, though it played a part.

"Mhm." Dean shifted his weight, not buying it.

"Well what're you doing here? How'd you know where to find us?" Sam inquired.

"My dads an 'FBI Agent' remember? And a hunter. He can find anyone who doesn't wanna be found." She smirked holding air quotes around the title earning a chuckle from Sam and a hint of a smile from Dean. He'd missed her humour.

He was kidding himself thinking he couldn't stay mad at her.

But this couldn't be a coincidence. There was a reason she had shown up out of the blue. And he needed to know.

"...Why now?" He asked, cutting through the silence.

Rory read his eyes, and all the pain that swam in them. It was all she needed to see to know that she was right following her gut out here. Something told her to come, something told her that they needed her, that Dean needed her. It was like a sense went off in her head, one specifically linked to Dean, and it'd been ringing and ringing constantly in the back of her head for days straight, telling her to reach out, or better yet, find him. And she did all that she could to try and ignore it, thinking it was just her own emotions telling her to give in and reconnect with the boys because she simply missed them, and boy did she miss them.

It was everything standing there in front of them right then. They had no idea.

"Figured I'd touch base. See if you assholes missed me as much as I missed you." She wasn't afraid to admit, and it seemed as though that was all that needed to be said to bring the light back into his eyes.

Dean didn't hesitate a moment later to scoop her up into his strong arms and trap her in a warm embrace, one she could only melt into. Her eyes shut as his scent engulfed her, deeming her senseless for a few beats, but she had mind enough to squeeze back.

Dean hadn't realized how much he needed to hug someone until that moment, and it seemed to level him right out. Her sweet lavender scent danced around his nose, as he held her tight.

"Don't go missing like that again, you hear me?" He muffled into her wavy tresses, earning a soft smile from Rory in return.

"Promise not to if you promise too." She uttered back, peeling open her eyes to find Sammy staring intently at the two. She smiled soft for him, hoping he'd never disappear either.

He matched her affectionate gaze before walking off further into the room.

Dean slowly pulled out of the hug, fighting every urge not to, and cleared his throat. Rory tucked some hair behind her ear, as nerves threatened to rule her.

Dean lips twitched up at one corner and he reached out to cup the side of her neck, catching some hair in between his fingers as he did so, staring her deeply in her eyes.

"You okay?" He asked, though Aurora knew that was a loaded question, but she nodded yes anyway.

"I'm okay. You?" She returned the same question, not sure if she'd receive the same answer.

Dean's face fell slightly before he picked it back up, and he knew she caught it.

"C'mon. Don't bother bringing anything in. We're heading out." He told her, gesturing her out the door. She made to follow but paused in front of the door where she could get a good view of Sam on the inside and Dean on the outside.

"Found a case?" She asked curiously. Dean continued his way to the car for his phone which he still needed.

"Maybe." Answered Sam as he squeezed by her and headed out of the motel, duffel in hand.

"Whereat?" She questioned further, wanting to be briefed.

"Lawrence!" Sam returned, eager to leave as he opened the backseat door to toss his bag in.

Meanwhile, Rory was swearing she'd gone deaf, not able to believe her ears.

She blinked and opened her mouth to speak.

 ** _No fucking way! Lawrence?! Like–_**

"Kansas?!" She gaped, noticing Deans silence. Her eyes fled to his back as he stood rigid by the drivers side, his back tense. He turned to look over his shoulder, and Rory could see then just how screwed up this was making him inside.

"Yeah, that Lawrence." He shook his head more to himself with a bitter look in his eyes.

Rory felt her stomach tighten and her heart ache for the Winchesters.

"You got everything?" Dean asked his brother.

"On my end yeah." She heard Sam reply.

Rory's gut had led her all the way out here to find them and check up on them, along with other things, but she had never been more happy to have listened to something in her life.

Dean probably would've never taken this on well.

She hadn't even noticed him walking towards her, and he squeezed by to re-enter the room. Her eyes fled to Sam who busies himself with looking through the trunk, probably doing an inventory check on weapons, and then looked back to Dean who paced around for his things.

"...You okay with that?" She asked, stepping in.

"Do I seem okay with it?" Dean answered with a question, pausing for a moment to look at her. Aurora sighed, finding her answer in his eyes.

"Well what the hell has you guys hauling ass out there?" She asked, thinking it had to be something major if it could get Dean of all people to go back there.

She watched him grab the very few of his belongings and shove it into his duffel before grabbing the Impala keys on the tiny table for two and heading for the door. She walked out before him and allowed him to fall into step with her.

"Call me and follow us, I'll explain everything on the way." He answered.

Rory nodded and moved to her Mustang, pulling her keys from her pocket.

"What the hell could I have missed? I've only been away for a few months..." She whispered to herself, getting into her car and revving the engine to life.

She stared straight out of her windshield for a moment, gathering her thoughts as she held the wheel.

This is gonna be one hell of a hunt, she thought.


	16. Home Pt I

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Old Winchester Home**

 **Lawrence, Kansas**

 **March 29th, 2006**

Rory was all caught up on what was happening. Dean and Sam had filled her in over speaker phone while they raced down countless lonely roads to get to Lawrence.

She couldn't believe it, the things they'd told her, why they were going to where Dean swore he'd never return to. Sam has revealed to her that he would sometimes have dreams that came true, like premonitions, and that he'd dreamt of his girlfriends death before it happened. She'd never forget how cold her blood ran when he told her that. It scared the crap out of her, which meant it was probably driving Dean insane.

It's all crazy. And they did crazy all the time.

She had to question then if the job was finally starting to get to them, turn them loopy.

She turned her gaze towards the infamous old Winchester residence and shook her head, not able to believe life had taken her here.

It was like meeting someone you'd only heard stories about growing up. She was nervous. Twisting the keys out of the ignition, and exited the car after a moment of processing.

"You gonna be all right, man?" She heard Sam ask as she walked up to the drivers side where his window was rolled down.

"Let me get back to you on that." Dean replied, stress evident in his voice as they too exited the Impala to join Aurora on the outside.

No matter much this was killing them on the inside.

The door opened to reveal a woman, seemingly middle aged, but Rory could tell she was still young at heart. The stress settled nicely in the bags underneath her eyes as she looked back at them in question. Rory's eyes darted to Sam who stood just in front of her. She wanted to see if he'd show any reaction to the woman, remembering all he'd told her about his dream. If it were true, then this woman is who he saw needed their help.

The shock was enough to confirm everything for her, which meant his premonitions were probably real. And she had no idea whether to think that information was good or bad.

 _ **Balls**_ , she cursed to herself.

"Yes?" The woman asked, her voice pleasant and curious. Rory could only imagine how sketchy this looked, three strangers showing up unannounced at her door so early in the day.

"Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but we're with the Federal–"

"I'm Sam Winchester, and this is my brother, Dean. We used to live here. You know, we were just drivin' by, and we were wondering if we could come see the old place." Sam intervened with the utmost honesty. Rory and Dean were both taken by surprise, but went along with it.

"Winchester. Yeah, that's so funny. You know, I think I found some of your photos the other night." Their ears perked up as the words registered.

Rory didn't think this could be anymore of a coincidence and payed an unreadable look to Sam.

 ** _Sammy's really psychic?_** She thought.

"You did?" The woman nodded and moved to the side to allow them entrance.

"Come on in." She spoke lightly, all the while, Dean tried his best not to have an anxiety attack right then and there.

Rory reached out to touch the small of his back, welcoming the feel of his worn leather jacket, and Dean could instantly feel some of the calm ease its way back into his soul. He sighed thankfully and carried on into the house.

* * *

She had a child, a pretty little girl. And a jumpy little toddler who played with a bunch of energy in his playpen. It seemed she had made a good life for herself, being a single mother. At least that's what Rory thought.

"Juice! Juice! Juice! Juice!" She smiled softly at the little bundle in his playpen, though behind the affectionate gesture laid her sadness for what could've been her life.

 ** _Maybe. If–_**

"That's Ritchie. He's kind of a juice junkie." Jenny introduced, grabbing a sippy cup out of the refrigerator and handing it to the toddler.

"But, hey, at least he won't get scurvy." She cracked earning a smile from the other blonde in the room. Jenny walked over to her daughter, who shared the same smile as her mother.

"Sari, this is Sam, Dean and their friend Aurora. Sam and Dean used to live here." She introduced.

"Hi." Sari greeted earning a small wave from Dean.

"Hey, Sari." Sam greeted softly.

"Cute kids." Rory added, smiling genuinely for Sari who blushed and looked back to her task at hand.

"Thank you." Jenny replied.

"So, you just moved in?" Dean asked, breaking the moment. Rory knew he was antsy to figure this all out so that they could leave already.

"Yeah, from Wichita." Jenny answered.

"You got family here, or….?"

"No. I just, uh….needed a fresh start, that's all. So, new town, new job–I mean, as soon as I find one. New house." She answered, and Rory could note the turmoil in her voice, and saw the sadness behind her eyes. She assumed that's where the husband came into play, but decided against opening her wounds.

"So, how you likin' it so far?" Sam asked.

"Well, uh, all due respect to your childhood home–I mean, I'm sure you had lots of happy memories here." Jenny began, and Rory couldn't help but smile at what was probably true before what happened.

Dean smiled weakly.

"But this place has its issues." The smile fell from Rory's lips.

"What do you mean?" Sam inquired.

"Well, it's just getting old. Like the wiring, you know? We've got flickering lights almost hourly." Rory rose her brows in slight surprise over Jenny's admissions.

"Hourly huh?" She muttered, earning a glance from Sam. The worry settled in his eyes.

"Oh, that's too bad. What else?" Dean pushed for more.

"Um…sink's backed up, there's rats in the basement." Jenny continued and paused.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to complain." She apologized, but neither of them had been anywhere near close to offended.

"No. Have you seen the rats or have you just heard scratching?" Dean interrogated.

"It's just the scratching, actually." She answered.

"Mom?" All eyes fled to Sari when her voice lit up the room. Rory paid close attention to the fear in her eyes. She wasn't sure anyone else could see it. Her mother went to kneel next to her.

"Ask them if it was here when they lived here." She uttered.

"What, Sari?"

"The thing in my closet." Rory felt her heart tighten with a fear of her own for the family, but more so for Sari.

There was definitely something in that house. Something she guessed might've been an evil spirit.

"Oh, no, baby, there was nothing in their closets." Jenny tried her best to coax and reassure her child and looked to the small group of young adults for help.

"Right?" She asked.

"Right. No, no, of course not." Sam helped.

"She had a nightmare the other night." Jenny admit.

"I wasn't dreaming. It came into my bedroom–and it was on fire." Sari revealed earning looks of shock from all of the hunters.

* * *

They all hurried back to their cars, minds racing over what they'd just learned.

"You hear that? A figure on fire." Sam freaked, arms flailing as he spoke.

"That's just crazy, and I've seen my fair share." Rory replied, still in shock.

"And that woman, Jenny, that was the woman in your dreams?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. And you hear what she was talking about? Scratching, flickering lights, both signs of a malevolent spirit." Sam answered, the concern permeating through his entire body.

"Yeah, well, I'm just freaked out that your weirdo visions are comin' true." Dean said, speaking for both he and Rory who paid Sam an empathetic stare. He was beginning to panick, that much she could tell, and she could relate.

"Well, forget about that for a minute. The thing in the house, do you think it's the thing that killed Mom and Jessica?" He asked.

"I don't know!" Dean exclaimed.

"Well, I mean, has it come back or has it been here the whole time?" Sam pushed, and Rory grew nervous, feeling as though she were trapped in a pot of boiling water that was about to spill over and burn everything in its surroundings.

"Or maybe it's something else entirely, Sam, we don't know yet." Dean countered.

"We just need to take a beat. Figure out what this could actually be." Rory chimed in trying to keep a level head.

"Well, those people are in danger, guys. We have to get 'em out of that house." Sam returned.

"And we will."

"No, I mean now." Sam barked.

"And how you gonna do that, huh? You got a story that she's gonna believe?" Dean piped.

"Then what are we supposed to do?–"

"Guys." Rory pressed, resting both hands on both the boys shoulders, emitting a calm that only she could provide them in that moment. They seemed to accept the feeling, and took a deep breath before either could spiral out.

She looked between the two as they looked to her for answers.

* * *

 **Soooooo?! How are we feeling about Aurora's surprise return?! Obviously Dean loved seeing her again. I missed them together! Hopefully she can stick around longer this time around!**

 **Leave your love, I'll have part 2 up as soon as I finish this paper!**

 **xo.**


	17. Home Pt II

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

 **Gas Station**

 **Lawrence, Kansas**

 **March 29th, 2006**

"Rore's right. We just gotta chill out, that's all. You know, if this was any other kind of job, what would we do?" Dean reiterated.

They'd come to a rest at a nearby gas station. Rory was thankful since she was running low on fuel. She'd spent nearly her entire tank trying to get to the boys before they could switch locations.

Sam sighed, stress working his features. Rory was doing her best to keep a lid on both of their tops, being sure to crack a joke every now and again just to balance the mood and the air around them.

"We'd try to figure out what we were dealin' with. We'd dig into the history of the house." Sam spoke earning a nod from Rory.

"Exactly, except this time, we already know what happened." Dean carried on.

"Courtesy of Samuel Winchester." She cracked with a wink, earning a weak smirk from Dean and an eye roll from Sam.

"Yeah, but how much do we know? I mean, how much do you actually remember?" He asked, Aurora went silent then, wanting to hear for herself exactly what Dean did remember. But she knew he'd keep it as vague as he could.

"About that night, you mean?" He asked.

"Yeah." Sam answered.

"Not much. I remember the fire…the heat." He paused for a moment.

"And then I carried you out the front door." He finished, trying his best to remain unmoved.

"You did?" Rory looked to Sam, not aware that he was unaware of that part of the story, thinking maybe he'd been told different, which was disappointing. Sam at least deserved to know that Dean was the one to practically save his life.

"Yeah, what, you never knew that?"

"No." Sam replied.

"And, well, you know Dad's story as well as I do. Mom was….was on the ceiling. And whatever put her there was long gone by the time Dad found her." Dean was done talking about it from the moment he started, that much was obvious.

It burned Rory to her core, sending her anger flaring up. It pissed her off knowing that a monster able to do something like that to people was still out there somewhere.

"And he never had a theory about what did it?" Sam pressed.

"If he did, he kept it to himself. God knows we asked him enough times." His brother replied.

"Okay. So, if we're gonna figure out what's goin' on now…we have to figure out what happened back then. And see if it's the same thing." Sam summed up.

"Yeah. We'll talk to Dad's friends, neighbors, people who were there at the time."

"I'll make a call to my dad, see if there's any missing pieces he could fit in. It's a long shot, but ya never know."

"Sounds good." Dean replied paying her a look. Rory knew it well, he was about to boil over.

She sighed and reached out to rub a spot on his back. Dean took a deep breath, looking forward as the calm worked its way into him.

"Does this feel like just another job to you?" Sam questioned, evoking a silence around the group.

Rory wasn't sure what to say, but she sure as hell thought this was nothing like what they normally did. This was personal.

"...I'll be right back. I gotta go to the bathroom." Dean walked away, leaving Rory to return her hand to her side, sighing as she watched him leave. He needed a moment alone, that much was clear, so she'd give it to him.

* * *

After turning the corner towards the bathroom along the side of the station, Dean stood next to the bathroom door and retrieved his cell phone. He looked over his shoulder making sure no one could see him, and dialled the only number he could think to call.

 _"This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean at 866-907-3235."_

* * *

"Check on him Rore." Sam's voice pulled him out of her thoughts as she stood idle against the hood of her Mustang, waiting patiently. She looked over to the youngest Winchester, noticing the concern in his eyes.

"Hm?"

"Dean. Would you check on him?...He's barely keeping himself together. He needs someone. And I doubt it's me right now." Rory listened to him talk, the sadness in his voice leaking guilt, probably something he was feeling for dragging Dean out here.

But she didn't blame him.

"He'll always need you Sammy." She assured him, pushing off the hood and strolling slowly across the way.

"So will I." She smiled, patting his chest earning an affectionate smile from Sam in return as she passed him by.

* * *

She didn't turn the corner, instead, hid quietly behind it where she could hear Dean's troubled voice.

"I don't know if it's the thing that killed Mom or not, but…" he broke off, voice thick with emotion, and it appeared Sam was right. He was barely keeping it together. Her heart tightened in her chest as the sorrow stirred in her chest.

"...I don't know what to do." His voice cracked as he began to cry. Rory rushed a hand to cover her lips.

"So, whatever you're doin', if you could get here. Please. I need your help, Dad." He finished, hanging up as his shoulders grew heavy. The tears blurred his vision. He went to wipe at his eyes but found he couldn't when a hand gripped his own.

He spun around to find none other than Aurora there, the sadness pooling in her eyes. He hated that she had caught him like this and looked up to the sky with regret, wishing he'd never let himself get so weak. Especially in front of Aurora. She'd probably tease him for months, or worse, coddle him.

She shook her head, seemingly looking for the right words to say.

"You're father may be too busy to be here, but I am and so is Sam. And we're not leaving you. Ever." She vowed, earning a look from Dean that made her rethink her last statement.

"...well unless you want me to-but that's not my point. I'm here to help. So just...know that you don't have to carry all of this weight on your own Dean. Remember? Your weight is my weight." Dean remained silent, but the will to carry on had returned full force when he'd looked into her eyes. She was the glue that held him together, every time.

He was so grateful, and thought back to the saying they'd made for each other all those years ago. The same one that got them through some of their toughest times.

"Your soul is my soul." He uttered with a smirk.

Rory grinned, squeezing his hand before pulling away to shift her weight.

"Let's kick some demon ass then. And if it is the thing that killed your mom, let's kill the son of a bitch." She protested.

* * *

If there was one thing Aurora hated about hunting, it was a dead end.

They'd spoken to the owner of John's old job as a mechanic, a man who'd worked with him. In Rory's opinion, he was barely any help. Sure he'd tipped off that John had been seeing a psychic, but Aurora wasn't sure how much help a psychic would be either. She wasn't much into the whole palm reading, tarot card thing.

It was a scam. And they were liars.

And she'd even gone to Bobby for help, unfortunately when she called for any tips, he too had nothing to offer them. So now they were parked up on the side of some random street near a pay phone in the middle of the day, waiting boredly for Sam to find the psychic John went to through a phonebook.

It could be anyone, she thought with frustration.

Dead ends really made her antsy. Especially with the given situation.

"Be honest, if John Winchester came to you asking for a job, would you hire him?" She thought out loud with a squint as she absently looked up at the clear sky, earning a snort of amusement from Dean. The two were leaned against the Impala.

"Hell no." Dean answered almost too quickly.

"Haha!" Rory gave a genuine laugh.

"All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There's someone named El Divino. There's, uh–" Sam cut himself off to chuckle.

"—There's the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky." He giving them a look. Rory cracked up, and to Dean it was infectious, like music to his ears.

 _ **If there's anything that could light up a dark day,**_ he thought.

"Uh, Missouri Moseley— "

"Wait, wait. Missouri Moseley?" Dean stopped him. Rory tipped her brow looking towards her former beau. He was onto something.

"What?" Sam asked, picking up on Dean's hunch too.

"That's a psychic?" He asked to make sure.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I guess so." Sam returned as Dean rushed into the backseat of the Impala to pull out John's journal. Rory eyed it as if it were the bible.

"In Dad's journal…here, look at this." They all gathered around to hear and read the news as he opened up to the first page.

She went on to read it silently, noting the first sentence.

"Odd." She voiced.

"I went to Missouri and I learned the truth." Sam read along soon after she'd finished. Dean shrugged.

"I always thought he meant the state." He voiced, causing Rory's brow to raise in suspicion.

"Dead end be gone." She uttered.

"Park Thor Rore. We're gonna go see us a psychic." Dean smirked, knowing how much Aurora didn't agree with psychics. She rolled her eyes at the sky, pushing off the groan with a groan as she made her way to her beloved car.

This would be amusing. And he could use a laugh.


	18. Home Pt III

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Missouri's House**

 **Lawrence Kansas**

 **March 30th, 2006**

A woman, middle aged, dark skinned and seemingly worn by the way she walked had been escorting a man out of her house when Rory spotted her while she Dean and Sam sit on the bench near the door, waiting.

From the moment she laid eyes on the older woman, she felt something. Something she couldn't put her finger on, but it was a familiar feeling, a vibe. Calm and serene, and it seemed to radiate off of her. Aurora wasn't sure how she was even able to feel any of that really. She'd always been a person to go by people's energies, but Missouri's was different.

"Whew. Poor b*st*rd. His woman is cold-bangin' the gardener." The psychic spoke.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Dean spoke up first out of the group, asking the same question on Rory's mind.

"People don't come here for the truth. They come for good news." She replied, locking eyes with Aurora, offering up a knowing smirk. The blonde sucked in a breath, ready to speak while the boys looked on in surprise, but before she could get sword out, Missouri made to walk deeper into her home leaving them behind.

"Well? Ariel, Sam, and Dean, come on already, I ain't got all day." She left the room, and Rory froze in her spot at the sound of her name. Even after the boys made to get up, she couldn't move. It was Dean who noticed first. He turned and faced her with concern.

"What's up?"

"She knows my name." She whispered, feeling the hairs on her skin crawl. Dean looked confused.

"Yeah and?–"

" ** _Ariel?!_** Nobody calls me that Dean. ** _No one._** Not even my dad. Not even you." She poked his chest. Dean flinched, not understanding where the paranoia was sourcing from.

"Okay calm down. Let's just get in there see what she could tell us and leave. It'll be fine c'mon you don't even believe in this crap." Dean spoke keeping a low voice, taking her hand and leading her in, but Rory was hesitant.

"Wait wait-" She held back, causing Dean to look back.

"You think she knows about-..about who I am?" She asked, looking over his shoulder to see that Sam and Missouri had already entered the reading room.

"I don't know...do you wanna ask?" Dean questioned, slightly freaked by her freakout. Rory was never this anxious unless something was really bothering her. He wondered if anything had happened while she was MIA.

"No-no of course not I just-...She knows my-forget it. I'm reading too much into it. Let's just get this over with." She rushed, walking ahead and pulling Dean along, causing him to jerk out of his spot, more confused then ever.

 ** _Women_** , he thought with the shake of his head.

* * *

"Well, lemme look at ya!" Missouri laughed brightly, happiness settled in her kind eyes. Rory watched her carefully, standing as still as she could so not to be noticed or have her thoughts scramble out of line. She didn't need the woman pointing her out. She just wanted to get in and get out.

"Oh, you boys grew up handsome." Missouri stated, pointing to Dean.

"And you were one goofy-lookin' kid, too." She cracked, earning a glare from Dean and a snort from Rory. It wasn't until she noticed the silence that she realized that she'd screwed up and that all eyes were on her.

"Ah _shit._ " She cursed under her breath.

"You gone watch ya language in my house. Especially being a woman of your stature..." Deans forehead was littered with wrinkles as he fell into confusion. Missouri had made her way over to Rory without her even noticing. Eyes danced all over her figure, and she felt naked under her stare.

"Uh-um...wh-..stature?" She managed to force out, meeting Missouri's soulful gaze. The older woman smiled brightly for her.

"Oh honey, even you have to know how special you are. Or have some sense." Her voice was one of the softest tones Aurora had ever heard. It was lulling, and patient.

She wasn't anything like the other psychics she'd met over the last few years, and she'd seen plenty.

"I'm not like the others am I?" Missouri spoke as if she were reading her mind.

Rory gawked, her mouth falling slightly open as she shook her head no.

"That's because I'm the real deal sweetheart." She winked. Rory furrowed her eyebrows, feeling more lost than ever.

Missouri took a step back, admiring the creature in front of her. The fact that it couldn't even see what she was is what made it all the more beautiful.

"Breathtaking. Though I don't understand how you could be so skeptical." She whispered. Rory squinted.

 ** _Either this woman knows something, or she is on every drug,_** she thought, earning a wink from Missouri that left the twenty-four year old's face falling.

It wasn't until Sam cleared his throat that she remembered the boys were in the room.

Missouri seemed to have forgotten as well and moved toward Sam before Rory could get a word out. She took his hand and held it gently.

"Oh, honey…I'm sorry about your girlfriend." She spoke, sympathy in her tone.

Every body in the room fell into shock.

"And your father-he's missin'?" Rory stilled, eyes wide as the shock paralyzed her.

 ** _What the fu–_**

"How'd you know all that?" Sam's voice cut her off.

"Well, you were just thinkin' it just now." Sam rose his eyebrows, surprised

"Well, where is he? Is he okay?" Dean joined in. Asking what felt like the right question. If this woman was actually telling the truth and had psychic abilities, then there was no reason why she wouldn't have the answers.

"I don't know." Missouri answered.

"What the-" Rory flapped her arms up in the air in disbelief.

"Don't know? Well, you're supposed to be a psychic, right?" Dean quipped, as Rory gave a supporting look to his statement. Missouri gave them both a look, more so Dean, and both he and Rory immediately regretted their decision to give attitude.

"Boy, you see me sawin' some bony tramp in half? You think I'm a magician? I may be able to read thoughts and sense energies in a room, but I can't just pull facts out of thin air. Sit, please." She cut her eyes to Aurora who waisted no time making her way to the center of the couch, her butt mouldings perfectly with the cushion as she plopped down onto it. She glanced at Sam who smirked in amusement and joined her on her right, then looked to Dean who was busy throwing his neck back in shock. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been chastised that way. Still, he took his seat and made to get comfortable.

"Boy, you put your foot on my coffee table, I'ma whack you with a spoon!" Missouri snapped at him. And Rory had to admit, it was a lot more amusing when you weren't on the receiving end of her anger.

"I didn't do anything." Dean poorly defended himself.

"But you were thinkin' about it." Dean rose his brows as the others smiled in high amusement.

"Okay. So, our dad–when did you first meet him?"

"He came for a reading. A few days after the fire. I just told him what was really out there in the dark. I guess you could say…I drew back the curtains for him." To say they were interested in what she had to say was an understatement.

"What about the fire? Do you know about what killed our mom?" Dean asked, and at that moment, Aurora was able to push herself aside, remembering why they were even there in the first place.

"A little. Your daddy took me to your house. He was hopin' I could sense the echoes, the fingerprints of this thing." She explained.

"And could you?" Sam inquired.

"I…" Missouri shook her head trailing off as she thought back.

"What was it?"

"I don't know. Oh, but it was evil." She answered ever so delicately.

"So…you think somethin' is back in that house?" She asked, looking to all of them. Rory wished she could answer truthfully, but she honestly had no idea. The moment she'd stepped into the old Winchester home, she was taken by so many different emotions, it felt like her head would've exploded. She just figured it was the stress though, and never thought much of it. And there was no cold spot, not like there was in any other haunted place she'd been to. In fact, she'd felt pretty warm, like the heat had been turned all the way up.

"Definitely." Sam answered.

"I don't understand." Missouri spoke. And Rory could see the confusion on her face. It didn't fit her.

"What?"

"I haven't been back inside, but I've been keepin' an eye on the place, and it's been quiet. No sudden deaths, no freak accidents. Why is it actin' up now?" She questioned.

"I don't know. But Dad going missing and Jessica dying and now this house all happening at once–it just feels like something's starting." Sam admit, and Rory had to agree.

"Sam's right, I mean, it is strange, even for us." She joined.

"That's a comforting thought." Dean chimed in.

"We should head over there, maybe see if you can get another read on anything?" Rory spoke, hoping the psychic would agree.

The older woman paid her a look, a curious and thoughtful glance that made her nervous in turn, but she swallowed the emotions anyway.

There were bigger fish to fry.

* * *

 **Jenny's House**

 **Lawrence Kansas**

 **March 30th, 2006**

Aurora stood outside the door for the second time already. Her eyes pensive and glued to the door as if she could see through it.

Something was different this time. There was a feeling in her gut, familiar and uncomfortable just like a time before, specifically when she and Dean had dropped Sam back to campus.

The same night Jessica had died.

Rory's eyes turned sharp as she tensed, and she prayed this wasn't one of those times.

"Ariel?" Missouri had glued her eyes onto the young woman the moment they'd perched themselves on the doorstep, sensing that something was off. She noticed how stiff she'd gone.

"Something's–" Jenny promptly answered the door before Rory had the chance to express her thought, slapping her out of her mind and back into reality.

"Sam, Dean, Aurora. What are you doing here?" Jenny greeted, though this time not as warm.

"Hey, Jenny. This is our friend, Missouri." Sam introduced, picking up on the troubled look in her eyes.

"If it's not too much trouble, we were hoping to show her the old house. You know, for old time's sake." He tried.

"You know, this isn't a good time. I'm kind of busy." Jenny answered going to close the door.

"Listen, Jenny, it's important–Ow!" Dean groaned as Missouri's hand made contact with the back of his head

"Give the poor girl a break, can't you see she's upset?" She scolded gesturing to Jenny.

"Forgive this boy, he means well, he's just not the sharpest tool in the shed, but hear me out." Rory had to smirk at that, ignoring the turmoil bubbling in the pit of her stomach for just a moment as she caught the stunned look on Dean's face.

"About what?" Jenny asked nervously.

"About this house." Missouri spoke honestly.

"What are you talking about?" Asked the mother of two.

"I think you know what I'm talking about. You think there's something in this house, something that wants to hurt your family. Am I mistaken?"

"Who are you?" Jenny questioned, though Rory was sure she had a good idea.

"We're people who can help, who can stop this thing. But you're gonna have to trust us, just a little." Missouri finished.

"We only wanna help." Aurora spoke as softly as she could, eyeing the blonde.

* * *

They made their way into Sari's bedroom, and Rory felt as though she was gonna be sick. The deeper she walked in, the heavier she felt.

Missouri and Dean had thrown her a few looks of concern, but she was sure to brush it off each time, not wanting any of the attention. She'd been through this before, it's just never been this intense.

"If there's a dark energy around here, this room should be the center of it." Missouri explained as they examined the room. If what she said was true, then Rory would use that as an excuse as to why she felt so bad.

"Why?" Sam questioned.

"This used to be your nursery, Sam. This is where it all happened." She answered, watching as Rory took a second to swallow down whatever was trying to work its way up her throat.

Sam glanced at the ceiling. Trying to burn out the image of his mother burning alive out of his head.

While Missouri continued to look around the room, Dean pulled out his EMF meter

"That an EMF?" She asked.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Amateur." She returned smartly, earning a dry chuckle from Rory, who'd looked over her shoulder at the two. Dean glared at the psychic before nudging Sam and showed him that the EMF was beeping frantically.

"Is anybody else hot?" Asked Rory as she fanned herself. No one had even noticed that she was leaned against the far wall near the door. Dean glanced at her with concern.

"You okay?" He asked, and Rory only waved him off.

"M'fine." She breathed, beads of sweat beginning to form behind her neck. She swept all of her hair over to one side and shook it off.

"I don't know if you boys should be disappointed or relieved, but this ain't the thing that took your mom." Missouri spoke.

"Wait, are you sure?" Sam asked. She nodded, earning a sigh from Rory.

"How do you know?"

"It isn't the same energy I felt the last time I was here. It's somethin' different." She explained.

"What is it?"

"Not it." She answered Dean, opening the closet door, earning all of their attention.

"Them. There's more than one spirit in this place." She revealed.

"That explains a lot." Rory sighed, running a clammy hand through her damp waves.

"What are they doing here?" Dean questioned.

"They're here because of what happened to your family. You see, all those years ago, real evil came to you. It walked this house. That kind of evil leaves wounds. And sometimes, wounds get infected." Everything she was saying was making sense.

"I don't understand." Sam voiced, genuinely confused.

"This place is a magnet for paranormal energy. It's attracted a poltergeist."

"A poltergeist?" Rory retorted rhetorically in disbelief.

"A nasty one. And it won't rest until Jenny and her babies are dead." Missouri worried.

"You said there was more than one spirit." Sam voiced. Rory was beginning to think that was maybe the reason why her sickness felt so intense, because there was double the evil.

"There is. I just can't quite make out the second one." Missouri admit.

"Well, one thing's for damn sure –- nobody's dyin' in this house ever again. So whatever is here, how do we stop it?" Asked Dean.

* * *

 **Missouri's House**

 **Larence Kansas**

 **March 30th, 2006**

They were surrounded by a bunch of herbs and roots, all things needed to destroy whatever spirit was living in the Winchesters old residence.

"So, what is all this stuff, anyway?" Dean asked, sitting at the table next to Rory who had finally come down from her sickness. The moment she'd left Sari's room, it was like whatever weight was sitting on her chest had lifted completely, granting her fresh air o breathe. Her senses had returned fully and her mind had cleared rough for her to form a full thought.

"Angelica Root, Van Van oil, crossroad dirt, a few other odds and ends." Missouri answered.

"Yeah? What are we supposed to do with it?" He replied.

"We're gonna put them inside the walls in the north, south, east, west corners on each floor of the house." Rory listened closely to her instructions, nodding faintly as she smelled the Angelica Root, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. She knew it had something to do with the fact that she was surrounded by herbs, otherwise known as nature.

"We'll be punchin' holes in the dry wall. Jenny's gonna love that." Dean quipped.

"She'll live." Missouri countered slyly, earning a glance from Dean.

"And this'll destroy the spirits?"

"Both of em?" Rory added onto Sam's question.

"It should. It should purify the house completely. We'll each take a floor. But we work fast. Once the spirits realize what we're up to, things are gonna get bad." The psychic answered. Rory nodded.

"I'll take anywhere but Sari's room." She spoke earning looks from everyone.

* * *

 **Jenny's House**

 **Lawrence Kansas**

Back at the boys old house, Sam had stowed himself away into one of the rooms with a hammer. Meanwhile Aurora and Missouri assigned themselves to the basement while Dean manned the kitchen. Missouri looked around, while Rory sought out a good place to put the bag full of herbs.

"...Do you know what I am?" She decided to ask, tired of beating around the bush. She'd been searching for answers her whole life. There was no reason why she isn't deserve to know. Missouri was like a book of knowledge, and she was right there in front of her for a reason. The older lady paused, delivering a soft knowing look to her.

"Not what you are, but I have a pretty good sense of who you are." She answered, and Rory felt as though the heavens had finally opened up. The relief that spread throughout her soul was enough to put her on cloud nine. She rushed over to her.

"Please. You have to tell me. I have to know, I-I've been searching for answers my whole life!" She exclaimed. Missouri only looked on with kind and understanding eyes.

Rory watched her closely.

"Oh honey, I wish I could, but it's not my role to play." She told her, earning a look from Rory.

"Wh-...what do you mean your role? I have to know. I deserve to know. This is my life, if you have the answers you need to tell me–"

"What I have is the tendency to say more than I should, and believe me when I say that after the last time I have learned my lesson...I have." Missouri answered as best she could. Rory felt as though she were falling, crashing down. She scoffed in disbelief of her luck.

"You're shitting me right? This is a joke?"

"What did I tell you about that language lil' girl?"

"I can't believe this! You're a psychic! It's your job to tell people what it is they wanna hear!" Rory barked, irritation flooding her veins.

"Look Ariel–"

"Stop calling me that! You don't get to call me that!" Rory snarled.

"I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, but you have to trust me." Missouri pleaded sadly.

"Just a little bit right?" Rory deadpanned smartly, earning a look from the psychic who then snatched the bag of herbs from the hunters hand and turned to place it in the nearest hole in the wall she could find.

Rory was so busy being upset that she hadn't even heard the noise behind her. It was only when Missouri stilled, that she knew something was off. She listened quietly for it.

"Drop the bag." Rory ordered before it was too late. Missouri did as told witnessing the bag get sucked into the hole by some invisible force.

"Missouri watch out!" Rory yelled as the table from one end of the room slid over at a dangerously fast rate, knocked her back and pinned her to the wall.

"Missouri!" Rory cried out racing over to her trying her best to pry the table away from the woman, nearly straining herself.

She admit she was upset with her, but that didn't mean that she wanted her to die. Especially not at the hands of something supernatural.

A loud bang coming from the ceiling tore Rory's attention away from the task at hand and she paused, eyes flicking back to Missouri who met her with worry.

"Go check on the boys, finish the job, I'll be okay! Go!" She ordered Rory who looked back at her with disapproval.

"Trust me!" Missouri begged. Another bang from upstairs was all Rory needed to take off up the steps.

"I'll be right back!" She promised.

 _"Be careful!"_ She heard from behind, immediately regretting the anger she'd thrown at her earlier. She'd make sure to apologize later.

Rory found Dean in the kitchen just inches away from the sharp ends of about six cutting knives that were shoved through the wood of the dinner table he'd smartly placed in front of him for safety.

"Where's Sam?!" She asked noting the alarm in Dean's eyes. She didn't wait for him to answer and took off down the hall towards the steps. Upstairs, she found Sam, lying on the ground with a cord from a lamp wrapped tightly around his neck. He was begging for air, fighting for it. Rory felt the air leave her lungs at the sight alone.

"Sam!" She yelled, racing to him, falling to her knees, her hands automatically going to pull at the cord with all of her strength. Eventually, Sam grew weak and limp, and the panic spread through her quicker than wildfire.

"Sam!" It didn't take Dean long to join them upstairs. He felt his heart nearly explode with fear at the sight of his brother on the ground, and the tears running fresh down Rory's eyes. She looked to him with wild eyes.

"Dean the bag! The bag!" She yelled. Dean ran over to the wall to kick a hole in it with the toe of his boot, hammer be damned, and places the bag of herbs inside, emitting a blinding white light leaves the room, causing them to shield their eyes. Rory wasted no time freeing Sam from his near death as Dean rushed to help, pulling him up into a fierce hug. Rory fell back on her bum, resting her hands on the ground to help hold her up as the emotions drained the energy from her body. She swiped gingerly at the tears that had fallen down her cheeks and let her head fall back in relief, thanking God and all his angels for not taking Sammy away from her.

They made it through, all four–

"Oh God, Missouri!" She hopped up and ran for the door, racing down the hall and nearly jumping the entire case of stairs as the tears began to fall again.

"Missouri!" Just as she went to turn down the hall she slid to a stop, finding the woman in question jus at the end of the hall looking slightly disturbed, but all in one piece. She sighed holding her chest.

"Oh thank God."

"Thank God is right. Are you okay?" She met her with a hug that Rory returned willingly.

"I'm fine, the boys are fine. Are you alright?" Roy answered. She couldn't explain the feelings she had then, it was almost too much, too overwhelming.

"I'm fine honey. It'll take a lot more than a table to get rid of me." Missouri quipped, smoothing her clothes with her hands.

Rory did nothing but chuckle at that, and watched as the boys made their way down the stairs.

She allowed the relief to rain over her then.

Everyone was alive. True identity be damned. The lives of the ones she loved was all that mattered.

"Everyone's okay." She breathed, ignoring her trembling hands.

* * *

A few hours later, the group stood collected in the extremely messy kitchen of Jenny's home. It was wrecked. Rory didn't know the first thing to say to her the moment she walked through that door. She didn't even want to be around to witness the look on her face.

"You sure this is over?" Sam asked, Rory frowned at this, the hairs on her skin still at attention and the gut feeling still lingering in the pit of her tummy.

"I'm sure. Why? Why do you ask?" Missouri asked earning a confused look from Rory.

 ** _Can't she sense it?_** She thought.

"Never mind." Sam sighed.

"It's nothin', I guess." He replied just in time to hear the front door open. Rory grimaced, turning to face the hallway.

 _"Hello? We're home."_ Jenny's voice rang out as she turned the corner into the kitchen and looking around at its state.

"What happened?" She gasped.

"Hi, sorry. Um, we'll pay for all of this." Sam started andRory nodded repeatedly. It was the least they could do.

They'd destroyed her home.

"Don't you worry. Dean's gonna clean up this mess." All eyes fled to the mentioned Winchester. Rory caught the look in his eyes as he stood unmoving, looking like he was about to give Missouri a piece of his mind.

"Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Get the mop." She returned. Rory shook her head, of course he'd be no match for her. She had bark and bite. Dean knew this, cursing under his breath as he began walking away. Rory moved to follow so that she could help. It wasn't fair that just because he and Missouri didn't get long, he had to clean this up all by himself.

"And don't cuss at me!" Missouri barked, stopping Dean in his tracks before he could walk away, still muttering under his breath.

Rory glanced at Missouri, giving her a look as if to tell her to go easy on him, but all she got in return was a shrug with little care. She chuckled and followed Dean out of the kitchen to find the mop.

* * *

"Hey uh...heard you yelling earlier, when you were downstairs with Mouthy Missouri. Everything okay?" He bit the last couple of his words.

Rory snorted and looked at Dean through the rear view as she sat in the backseat of the impala parked outside of Jenny's home. Sam wasn't ready to leave yet, and truthfully speaking, neither was she. They'd told Missouri that they'd keep an eye on the house for one more night just to be sure everything was okay.

"Yeah. Everything's okay. Just...emotions ran a little high. I blame the heat."

"You sure you're not comin' down with something? You seem to be the only one burning up." Dean frowned at that. It was beginning to worry him, the way Rory was taking to this hunt.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Missouri told me it might just be the side effects to the whole sixth sense thing I've got goin' on." She lied, wanting to drop the subject as quick as possible.

"Sammy, you feeling the same?" Dean asked his brother.

"No." He answered. Dean threw Aurora a look in the mirror which she caught and ignore all in one breath. He sighed, thinking he'd try again later. He figured she just needed time to process whatever he was sure she'd learned from Missouri in that basement.

"All right, so, tell me again, what are we still doin' here?" He sighed.

"I don't know. I just…I still have a bad feeling. Rore feels it too." Sam admit.

"Why? Missouri did her whole Zelda Rubenstein thing, the house should be clean, it should be over." Dean complained.

"Yeah, well, probably. But I just wanna make sure, that's all." Sam argued.

"Yeah, well, problem is I could be sleeping in a bed right now." Dean wined, annoying the bunch as he slid down in his seat and closed his eyes.

The silence was enough to drive any sane person crazy. Rory's legs began to bounce up and down as the same gut feeling lingering in her gut became more intense as the seconds ticked by.

"It's not over..." She whispered just low enough so no one could hear.

"What?" Asked Sam. Rory glanced at him, seriousness in her eyes as she looked up at the window of Jenny's bedroom, only to find her there, screaming and banging against he glass crying for help. She gasped.

"It's not over! Sam! Dean!" She didn't wait, and jumped out of the car into action.

 _"Dean. Look, Dean!"_ She heard Sam faintly as she sprinted for the door.

 _"Rory grab a kid, Sam you too! I'll get Jenny!"_ She heard Dean instruct.

"Okay!" She yelled back, kicking in the door and sprinting up the steps towards Sari's bedroom.

She found the child laying surrounded by her blankets with the fear of God in her eyes as she stared at the figure on fire. Rory came to a halt just a couple of steps in the room. The heat began to overwhelm her, and the feeling in the pit of her stomach began to burn hot, creating nausea within her. She squinted and shielded her eyes, the fire to bright to look at.

"Sari!" She tried to wave the child over, but she was too scared to move, and Rory was too weak. Her head felt lighter than normal, and she felt herself begin to sway on her toes, and as the figure turned to her, she saw that her vision had blurred and the room began to darken.

"Sari...ru-..run..." She forced out before she collapsed onto the floor.

 _"Help! Please!"_ She could fairly hear the cries from Sari, and she tried to fight her sleep, but it had paralyzed her.

And in the matter of seconds she was welcomed by darkness.

* * *

 _"This again." Aurora stared herself in the mirror, her own reflection even more difficult to recognize then last time. She looked unrecognizable, foreign, and lost. Yet complete, healthy and full. Her long golden tresses were wild, thick, and wavy, cascading down her back and shoulders. So similar to a lions mane._

 _"What is this?" She asked herself, her voice echoing throughout the room, light and feathery as it left her lips._

 _"Wake up Ariel." Her reflection spoke, saying the same thing as always._

 _Aurora had no idea what any of it meant._

 _"I'm trying!" She yelled, the frustration working her over. She was sure she was needed elsewhere. She had to get back. It was imperative. This place wasn't where she belonged. That much she knew._

 _"Wake up–"_

 _"IM TRYING!"_

* * *

 _"Sam? Sam!"_ The faint sound of Dean's booming voice jolted her out of her sleep. She sucked in as much air as she could, rolling over onto her stomach in search of–

"Sari?!" She looked to the bed and found it empty, and back over to the closet to find it empty as well. Her heart raced and she jumped up onto her feet, frightened that something might've happened to the child on her watch.

She couldn't live with herself if that were the case.

Rory ran out of the room and sped down the stairs, ignoring the queasiness as best she could.

"Sari?!"

"Sam?!" Rory came to a stop at the end of the steps at the sound of Deans voice, remembering that his was the voice she'd heard when she'd woken up.

"Dean?!" She turned and ran towards the kitchen, praying that Sam was okay, and prayed that Sari and the others were safe outside of this hell house.

 _"Rory in here!"_ She heard and entered to kitchen to find Sam pinned to the wall seemingly in a lot of pain and Dean standing there with his gun at the ready, looking for something to shoot. Rory cursed realizing she'd been in such a hurry to save the family that she didn't notice she'd left her weapons.

All cares went out the window when that familiar feeling of heat returned to her body. She whipped around as Dean rose his gun ready to shoot.

"No, don't! Don't!" Sam yelled stopping his brother.

"What, why?!" Dean answered back, confused.

"Because I know who it is. I can see her now." Sam revealed. Rory squinted, noticing the figure had a slightly different appearance than before. In the flames, she could've sworn she saw hair. And suddenly, the fire vanished, and all of the heat that had sky rocketed Rory's body temperature had fled from her body, leaving her able to breathe and stand sturdy on two feet. She let go of a breath she hadn't known she was holding and sucked in a sharp breath at the sight in front of her.

She'd only seen her in pictures, and before that she could only imagine her beauty, but that was nothing like the reality.

Mary Winchester, stood before them exactly as she was the night she died. Dean's expression softened and in shock, he lowered his gun slowly.

"Mom?" Deans voice cracked softly as his mother returned one of her sweet signature smiles for him and steps closer.

"Dean." She spoke, evoking tears from Deans eyes.

Rory witnessed as Mary walked away from him and over to her youngest. Dean never took his eyes off her.

"Sam." She soothed, earning a weak smile from Sam as he cried. Mary's smile faded.

"I'm sorry." She spoke.

"For what?" Sam asked, lost. She looked at him sadly, but remained silent, not even Rory could decipher that look, and as if she could hear her thoughts, Mary turned to her causing Rory to still with shock.

The beauty walked up to her, and Rory had no idea what to do but keep quiet and admire her.

Mary gave her kind eyes, with a sweet smile, and she glanced at Dean knowingly before looking back at Rory again.

"...Thank you." It was like listening to an angel speak. Rory nearly choked on her words.

"What for?" She managed to ask. Mary said nothing, and somehow Rory wasn't surprised. Though she was the moment Mary came closer, and went to whisper in her ear. Rory locked eyes with her former beau, and he looked as though he would pass out from the shock.

 _"...Take care of them."_ She told her quietly. And Rory knew it wasn't an order, but a plea, more or less in the form of a dying wish. Rory had no idea how to respond other than with a head nod, and promising eyes.

Mary seemed to take it for what it was because soon after she walked away from them and cast her gaze up to the ceiling.

"You get out of my house. And let go of my son." She demanding with power as her body once again burst into flames, though this time, Rory was strong enough to fight against the heat. It was as if Mary's words had delivered the strength she lacked. When she was entirely engulfed, the fire flew up to the ceiling and disappeared completely, and whatever force was holding Sam to the wall was released.

He slowly caught his bearings and walked over to Dean, and the three of them look at each other, stunned.

"Now it's over."


	19. Home Pt IV

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **Jenny's House**

 **Lawrence Kansas**

 **April 1st, 2006**

Aurora was stooped down in front of the two children by the front door whilst the rest of the group had migrated outside to say their goodbyes. Last she checked over her shoulder and out the open door, Dean and Jenny were exchanging a few words while she gave him a box which she assumed was filled with childhood memorabilia left behind, and Sam had been locked in what seemed to be a really serious conversation with Missouri.

"Pretty scary night huh?" She asked, keeping her voice soft and sweet for Sari. Her little brother busy with the bottle in his mouth as he sat on his bum next to his older sister.  
Sari nodded, shy and slightly traumatized. Her mind was swimming with the events of last night. The images of the figure on fire practically seared into her brain. Rory felt horrible for them having to witness the evils of the world.

Excluding Mary Winchester of course.

She still couldn't believe it was her, or that she'd acknowledged her at all.

"Think you'll be okay?" She asked, looking up into her doughy eyes with genuine concern. She hoped they wouldn't let this affect them, and that they'd still be able to grow up with normalcy.

"Yeah." Sari answered, and Rory took her answer for the truth. She smiled as she spotted the strength in her eyes.

"Strong girl." She voiced, reaching up to tuck some loose strands of hair behind Sari's ear.

"Take care of little Ritchie." Rory winked. Sari's lips turned upward slightly, but the look of concern soon fell over her features, causing Rory to furrow her eyes.

"What's wrong?" She inquired, not at all surprised that she'd taken a liking to the children. She's just always had a soft spot for them. A part of her thought it had something to do with the-

"Are you okay?" The adolescent asked with worried eyes.

Rory frowned, not sure where the question was coming from.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Why? Something on my face?" She reached up to rub a spot on her cheek, making a joke and hoping to gain a smile from the child, but failed.

"You fainted, in my room." Sari answered, a fear lacing her tone as she went over the memory. Rory's frown deepened.

She'd never forget how sick she felt. It was something she never wanted to experience again. But thankfully, the bad feelings had been expelled from her body for the time being.

 _Or until the next evil,_ she thought.

"I know. Must've been a scary moment to watch...I'm okay, I was just coming down with something. I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry if I scared you." She apologized with a wince.

"It wasn't really the fainting that scared me."

"What did?"

"When you fell, the thing on fire tried to get you, and when it tried, you lit up. Like pink. Your whole body." Sari spoke with amazement, like it was the most surreal thing she'd ever seen before. Meanwhile, Rory's eyes had gone bugged and wide with shock at the events that had taken place while she was unconscious.

 _Pink? What the hell is happening to me?_ She thought.

Reaching out, she grabbed Sari's hand and squeezed with reassurance.

"Probably just a side effect from being so close to the spirit. I promise I'm okay." She smiled making up the best excuse she could think of just so not to worry her, earning a nod and a small expression of tenderness in return from the young girl.

"Take care of your mom and your brother." Rory said, running a hand down her arm before pushing herself up straight. She offered up a friendly wave to Richie, who leered at her in return.

"Ariel?" Her voice, still smooth and angelic called out to her, gaining all of her attention. Rory turned around and walked out of the house and over to Missouri who waited patiently for her as Sam made his way down the steps towards Dean and Jenny.

She kept her gaze shy, and felt a bit of guilt settle on her heart for the way she had yelled at her earlier. She didn't deserve it. A sigh escaped through her lips.

"I'm sorr-"

"I know. And it's okay. I understand you just wanna know what the truth is." Missouri responded with kind eyes that Rory swore she'd never forget.

"It's just…I feel like a part of me, a big part is missing." It wasn't a feeling she liked to acknowledge. It was one she ignored practically every minute she was awake. It was just too much to ratify its existence. There was always a pain that came along with it.

"What do you know so far?" Missouri questioned with curious eyes, though Rory knew she was already well aware of the things she'd uncovered over the last few months.

"I'm not sure exactly. Just that…I'm a healer, of some sort. It's mostly connected with nature and-…" She trailed off, brooding as she thought about all of the impossible she had the ability to do. Her head shook in disbelief, even still she couldn't believe it was all possible.

"And that feeling in your gut? The one you get whenever something evil is near?" Missouri pointed out, with squinted eyes. Rory glanced back at her.

"Last night, when-…when Mary…I passed out. The heat was too much, so overwhelming. I-I couldn't-"

"It was your ability to sense evil, but it seems to me that you can also sense other Supernatural. My guess is, with the combined supernatural energy together in one house, you became overwhelmed." Missouri explained, trying her best to articulate.

"I-I'm not sure I understand." Rory stuttered in mild confusion.

"It was just too much, too soon is all. You'll eventually learn how to control your abilities. So will Sam." Missouri revealed, earning a pointed look from the young blonde in return.

"Is that all you could tell me?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Is her spirit really gone?" Rory asked, not able to get Mary Winchester's ghost out of her mind.

"I think you know the answer to that. Her spirit cancelled itself out taking on the poltergeist. They're both gone." Missouri told her. Rory looked over her shoulder at the boys, locking onto Sam who had just embraced Jenny in a hug goodbye. She knew it was time to go, and it was unfortunate given she had barely uncovered anything about her situation. She sighed as she and Sam made eye contact, and she was the first to pull away and look back at Missouri.

She was worried about him. Maybe even more than she was worried about herself.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Rory questioned, hoping she could get at least one straight answer.

"I believe so." Missouri answered earning an eye roll from her.

"That can mean anything." She sighed. Missouri chuckled softly, reaching up to cup the side of Rory's face.

"All in good time child." The psychic quipped with genuine eyes that leaked truth. It was a moment she appreciated, the concern, the care. She had come to highly respect the woman in front of her, and thought to even keep in touch.

"We'll see each other again, don't you worry." She stated, reading her mind. Rory smirked and playfully rolled her eyes, accepting the answer for whatever it was.

"See you soon then." She smiled, back stepping towards the porch steps. She;d made it down before turning on her heels to face Missouri once more as a question burned the front of her mind. It had been one she couldn't ignore, one that refused to be pushed into the background. Missouri looked to her with expectancy.

"…Am I gonna be okay?" She managed to ask, the concern creeping up the long of her back, her eyes turning bothered as the fear took over for just a moment.

"That's up to you." Missouri answered delivering an unreadable expression that Rory couldn't decipher.

 _What the hell does that mean?_ She thought, and turned on the balls of her feet to go and join the boys, offering up a small grin as a goodbye.

When she made it to the boys she made sure to make no direct eye contact, knowing they'd stop her if they knew something was on her mind, and in that moment, a million things were. She bee-lined to her Mustang, and Dean noticed her hurry to get away.

"Hey. You okay?" He asked, eyes on her back.

"We'll talk when we get a motel. Let's go." She replied shortly. Dean frowned, watching her every move until her body disappeared into her vehicle, started it up and drove off down the street.

Sam who stood just outside the passenger door looked after her car in question, concern and confusion lacing his features.

"What's up with her?" He asked.

Dean only stared off down the street, only choosing to look away when the car turned out of sight. His eyes fell on Sam.

"Let's go find out."

* * *

 **So there ends another chapter in the Aurora Singer chronicles! Pretty intense huh? She's starting to uncover more and more everyday it seems.**  
 **What do you think is the reason for everything happening to Rory? Do you think Missouri knows more than she's letting on?**

 **Do you think she should tell the boys what's been happening to her? Clearly she's been keeping some things to herself.**

 **Let me know what you think! Leave your love!**

 **Promise to get more adds up ASAP!**

 **xo.**


	20. Since You've Been Gone

**Howdy folks! Notice it's taken a few days to get this add up. I tried to squeeze in some Dean/Rory time and a little fluff, so hopefully you like appreciate it! It's my way of saying thanks for all the love and support some of you have shown :) For those silent readers out there, I hope you'll comment soon. I'd really love to hear what you think about everything! It'll also help me steer the story a bit better as well. Which basically means more reviews, more adds ;)**

 **Leave your love! & Enjoy!**

 **xo**

* * *

 **A Backwoods Motel**

 **Cedar Rapids, Iowa**

 **April 1st, 2006**

"Iowa? Really? There's a million other places we could've gone. Fun places." Dean spoke as he exited his car just as Rory passed by his door on the way to check the back right tire of her beloved Mustang. She kicked it a couple times, noticing the pressure was a little low causing her to frown. She made note to come back out and put some air into it when she had a minute.

"I hear the Herbert Hoover Museum is quite the attraction here." She answered Dean, feeling his eyes on her back.

"The what?" Dean retorted, lost.

"The 31st president of the United States Dean. It's his final resting place." Sam answered, getting out of the car and making his way to the trunk of the impala to grab his things.

"…Who?!" Dean was stuck in a puzzled state of mind, his head swam with a million different thoughts, and none of which could relate or piece together anything Sam and Rory spoke of.

"At least we know who payed attention in history class." Rory playfully rolled her eyes as she slugged her heavy gym bag filled with her personal belongings over her shoulder and headed towards the check in area of the backwoods motel.

"At least pick a place with a little more scenery." Dean whipped back with a smart tone causing Rory to nearly break her neck while turning to look his way with an incredulous look on her tired face.

"Since when do you pay attention to scenery?!" She asked, earning a dry look from Dean and a chuckle from Sam who founded the impala to join Rory's side.

"What're you talking about? I love trees!" Dean exclaimed.

Rory's shoulders slumped in defeat as she shook her head in disbelief.  
She was itching to spit out some witty comebacks, but thought against it, thinking it'd save her time and save Dean the embarrassment.

I'll let him keep his dignity, she thought as she continued toward the front desk without a word, leaving Dean to himself and his thoughts. He flapped his arms up.

"I swear!"

* * *

A heavy sigh escaped passed Rory's lips as she set down her bag on top her freshly made bed. The moment her shoulder had been relieved of the weight on it, she felt the muscles in her back relax, and she took the moment in with a smirk.

It felt good to finally have some down time.

A sudden knock on the door made her stiffen with annoyance. Her eyes rolled to the back of her skull while she turned to make her way over to the door, already knowing who to expect. Swinging open the door she found Dean and Sam on the other side, and though she wanted nothing more than to shoo them away, she knew she couldn't. They had a lot they needed to talk about, and there was a lot that needed to be said on her end.

Her eyes swung back and forth between the two Winchester men before settling specifically the one who owned her heart. She could feel the major organ swell in her chest as she analyzed him closely, he'd changed into a plain black crew neck shirt, and a dark pair of denim. Her gaze moved along, washing over his green eyes, and light freckled cheeks all the way up to his short cropped dirty dark blonde hair.

Handsome wasn't word enough to describe the creature in front of her.

"Brought some beer." He spoke, breaking off into a full spread grin that ultimately encouraged an affectionate smile of her own.

She stepped to the side, allowing them entrance.

* * *

"So, hell of a family reunion huh?" Rory plopped down onto her bed listening as Sam started up conversation, kicking her feet up and resting an arm behind her head after cracking open a beer. She rose her brows in agreement.

"I'll say." Dean replied, there was a heaviness underneath his voice that she picked up on.

"I still can't believe it. I mean, mom, y'know?" Sam went on to say. Rory paid him a soft glance, noting the mild shock settled in his light green eyes. They seemed to change color anytime he was divulged in a certain emotion. At least she had noticed over the years of knowing him

"Yeah." Dean shorted, not really up for reflecting over a situation that was still so fresh in his mind.

"…She was even more beautiful than the pictures." Rory kept her eyes on the shapely bottle of beer she currently nursed, being sure to avoid all eyes in the room as she spoke, not wanting to see their initial reaction. She hadn't meant to say it aloud, but the words had slipped out before she had the chance to register it.

Dean gave her a look, unreadable at first, but soon after his features melted into a warm expression.

"Thank you." He spoke earning a glance from the beauty across the way. She smirked in return while a comfortable silence blanketed the room.

Rory took the moment to think things over, think about the things she wanted to say. It was no doubt that the topic of her life would come into play soon enough. She had to be ready, no matter how much she wanted to avoid the subject.

But she needed to talk about it, there was too much on her mind to bottle up. The inversion would kill her if she didn't release it now.

She kept her eyes on Dean for a moment longer before flashing over to Sam.

"You doing okay bud?" The question was loaded. Rory knew he wasn't, not completely anyway, because she knew Sam. He was the thinker of the group, the one with the introvert personality. Talking about the things that truly bothered him was never something he volunteered to do. It was always left up to either she or Dean to beat it out of him.

He paid her a look, troubled yet resolute, as if to let her know, yes, he was hurting, but he knew somewhere deep down that things would turn out for the better.

"Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we saved Jenny and her kids. It just sucks that mom's really gone now y'know?" He frowned, diverting his gaze to somewhere across the room. Rory smirked sadly for the young man, nodding in understanding.

"She'll always be with you Sammy." She coaxed, trying to get him to find solace in her words, though she was sure if he didn't find it now, he'd find it eventually.

"I know. I uh-I'm glad she got to meet you." Sam grinned softly. Rory swooned as the words registered in her mind. She wasn't sure they'd ever understand just how much it meant to have experienced that moment. This was the woman who'd brought these two wonderful men into her life, the woman responsible for enforcing their beliefs and mannerisms, aside from John, but now that she'd actually met Mary in the flesh, she could see more of her in them.

Just when Dean didn't think he could be anymore amazed by the woman in front of him, she'd surprised him yet again. It was unbelievable at times, just how receptive Sam was to Aurora and vice versa. Sometimes all it took was a look for them to fall into step with each other. He appreciated their relationship highly.

But he was about ready to hop off of the subject of his mother.

"Alright. Another hunt bites the dust. What do you say we do some catching up huh?" Dean clapped, shifting in his seat to lean over and rest his elbows on his knees whilst nursing his beer. All eyes flickered and locked onto his with risen brows.

Sam went on to clear his throat.

"Uh yeah, yeah. Rore?" Rory rose her brow up in response to Sam.

"We uh, really appreciate you coming down here and helping, but uh, can't help but wonder…" Sam trailed off, seemingly nervous about finishing his question. Rory gave a look of slight confusion, not sure where he was leading to–

"Where the hell have you been and what the hell is going on with you?" Dean cut in with a pointed look.

There it is, she thought.

It was funny to her, and not in the humorous way. She thought mentally she'd prepped enough to tackle the subject that was her life head on, but now that the question had been shot out into reality, she couldn't place the right words into proper sentences.

Rory's tongue ran smoothly along her bottom lip, fixing to come up with something.

"I've been…" she sucked in a breath, sliding her legs off the side of the bed so that sh could sit up.

"Is everything okay with Bobby?" Asked Sam, not sure how to convey her nerves. It was rare that Rory ever expressed this kind of behaviour.

"Oh no. Dads fine. He's awesome." She waved him off casually, still trying to fit different sentences together.

"But to answer your question, I was home for a bit, taking a bit of a vacation y'know? Enjoying my surroundings." She shrugged, trying not to come off too nervous.

"You mean Bobby's backyard filled with rusted junk?" Dean asked lamely, earning an eye roll from his ex-girlfriend.

"Yeah. It's not as ugly as you would remember. Trust me. I've..taken up gardening." Rory replied.

"You mean you-..you were spending all this time gardening in your dads backyard?" Sam reiterated with a look of confusion. Rory's shoulder deflated.

"Well when ya say it like that I sound like an eighty year old retiree." She frowned.

"So what you were just taking time off to plant some tulips in the ground while Sammy and I were out here getting' our asses kicked?" Dean barked.

"Oh c'mon-wh-that's not fair Dean…you know I hate tulips." Rory quipped with a smirk after playfully rolling her eyes at his frustration.

"And truth be told your asses needed a little ass kicking."

"Oh whatever." He bit.

"….So? What kicked your asses?" Rory planted a sly smile on her lips earning an eye roll from the boys. Though she was genuinely interested to hear about their past few hunts without her. She was sure there was a lot she'd missed out on.

"Oh uh a vengeful spirit, nearly drowned a kid down in Wisconsin, a phantom traveler that nearly took an entire plane down while we were on it, Bloody Mary nearly took our eyeballs out back in Ohio, uhh a–"

"Hold up, wait a minute. Bloody Mary? As in the urban legend Bloody Mary? Say her name–"

"Say her name three times in the mirror and she appears, yes. That one. She's a bitch, you wouldn't like her. Trust me." Dean spoke with dead eyes and a dull tone, his dislike for the past few hunts seeping through.

Rory snorted in amusement, wishing she could've seen or at least been a part of taking down an urban legend. Those were one of her favourite monster to hunt.

"That must've been **just** terrible. Nothing good ever happens in Ohio." She spoke with a lick of sarcasm, her mind rolling back to the day Dean left her high in dry in that same God forsaken town.

"Shut up." Dean spat gruffly, taking a swig of beer while Rory giggled under her breath. Sam smirked.

"What else?" She asked.

"Oh you'll love this one. Shapeshifter, in Missouri. Took on my form, and I got framed for murder. I had to fake my own death just to get out of it!" Dean vented, and Rory picked up on the slight panic in his voice, causing her to worry.

"Murder?!" She questioned, dropping the witty remarks for a better suited time.

"SWAT got involved." Sam chipped in.

 **"SWAT?!"** Rory's mouth fell open.

"That's not even the worst part?" Dean complained causing Rory to grow even more concerned.

"What the hell is worse than framed murder Dean?" She exclaimed.

"I missed my own funeral." He answered.

Rory tried her best to hold back from lunging over just to smack him silly, but refrained and settled for delivering a dead eyed look instead.

* * *

"So you can heal nature, create nature, and you can sense the supernatural?" Spoke Dean, in a tone not to identifiable to Rory. She figured he was trying to process the information she'd shared, and grew nervous by Sam's silence. She shrugged, not entirely sure how to respond to his words. She fought the frown, hoping and praying that they wouldn't judge her.

 _Would they?_ she thought, the fear sprinkling over her.

"It's-..still something I'm processing." She played with the hem of her t-shirt, keeping eyes on her lap.

"Yeah, we can sort of see that." Sam pointed out, keeping his voice soft and concerned. It wasn't something he wanted to point out, but he'd noticed the troubled look in her eyes, it hid somewhere where most people wouldn't notice, people who didn't know her at least.

"Can you? Man, I thought I was holding up a pretty good poker face." She chortled nervously.

"I mean...this kinda thing I guess takes a lotta energy outta you since you're basically spending it on healing other things right?" She tried to make sense of it all. Sam smirked sadly in return hating that she seemed so fragile in that moment, as if she were scared of what they'd think of her.

"Uh, my…abilities really started I guess back on that Wendigo hunt. I mean the healing abilities, my ability to sense supernatural has always been there I think." She cringed.

"So during the Wendigo hunt, that whole thing with the trees and the ground whenever you touched it, that was–"

"Yeah. I think it was my soul trying to reach out and heal? I think." Putting this all together out loud was a lot harder than she thought it would be. Thinking about it all made more sense, but the moment the words left her lips, it sounded unbelievable.

"Dad and I think it's instinctual, the way I respond to nature whenever I'm near it. It starts like an urge, and then it kind of just…speaks to me." She continued, trying to spit it all out.

"Speaks to you?" Sam asked, confusion lacing his voice. Rory lifted her gaze to the men in the room, witnessing the lost looks on their faces.

 _I probably sound like a crazy person!_ She thought.

"It's hard to explain-look I'm still learning about all of this stuff. It's-it's incredibly hard when you have nothing to go by." She exasperated, running a slightly trembling hand through her hair.

"How'd you find all this stuff out?" Sam asked earning a wince from Rory.

"…Google? It's called Biological Manipulation." She stated.

"That's always reliable." Dean rolled his eyes.

"It's all I've got to go by for now. Other than a few paragraphs on my abilities, I haven't been able to find any information connecting to what I might be." The frustration was evident in her entirety, and she did her best to flush it from her system, but it was more difficult this time around. After everything that had taken place over the last couple of days, she'd felt like she barely knew who she was. It was beginning to take a toll on her, worse than before.

"And after meeting Missouri…" Sam trailed off.

"You were hoping she could give you answers." Dean finished, earning a sad look and a nod from the young blonde in the room.

"Yeah." She spoke in a low voice, looking away again.

"Well did she know anything?" Rory shook her head no.

"No. Nothing. But she did give me a number to keep in touch, should I need anyone to talk to." She sure exactly when she'd use the number Missouri had given her, but she was sure she would eventually need to. It was a feeling she couldn't shake, not to mention Missouri seemed to know it would happen soon enough as well.

Not that she minded, they'd come to form a friendship after the last couple of days. And whether Rory wanted to or not, she'd never forget her.

"Thought you were a skeptic." Dean spoke, eyeing the beauty across the way with curious eyes. Somehow he got the feeling that everything she'd told them wasn't everything she knew, and that made him more nervous than ever for her. Rory met his gaze and locked in on him and gave a shrug.

"…She made me a believer."

"What do you think is happening to you?" Sam asked.

"I don't know..." She answered honestly, wishing she had all the answers.

"But if this whole thing..makes you guys uncomfortable I totally understand. I can keep my distance if it's what you w–"

"Woah, woah wait a sec. Keep your distance? What the hell for?" Dean stopped her right there, raising up from his seat on the chair at the round table for two to pace over to the spot a couple feet away from her. There was no way in hell that after all she'd told them, and all that he'd seen, he'd let her walk out that door.

 _No way in hell,_ he thought.

"Because Dean. I'm-I'm not normal." She offered a bleak expression, not caring enough to hide the emotions she was truly feeling.

The boys could see her fully now, everything she was feeling beneath her tough girl exterior, and it hurt them more than they wanted to let on. So as if sharing one mind, they kept a brave face for her.

"No one in this room is normal Rory. Sam's got his whole psychic thing goin' on, hell I had a funeral not too long ago, one which may I remind you, I didn't even get to attend-"

"Oh would you get over that already?! And that's different–"

"How?"

"Because at least you two know who you are! I don't! That makes me more of a risk! That makes me..." She trailed off, turning away fro them to pace the room and run her hands through her hair out of sheer frustration as her emotions took her for a ride until she was able to come to a stop a few steps away, setting a doleful look on her features as she slowly turned to face them again.

"Questionable."

Dean gave a pained look, hating seeing her that way. He wished he could take all of her pain away, or at least carry her weight for her.

"...I can't remember a thing before the day I met Bobby. Not a thing." She kept her voice small and defeated, earning a frown from Sam. Dean went to take a step forward, but she took one back, holding up a hand to stop him from coming any closer.

"Don't. I-I...I-"

"Rory, you're not evil." Sam spoke into the quiet. It had gotten so thick in the room he thought he might choke on it, but fought to cut through it instead. He couldn't let her tear herself down, not after having gotten to know her the way he did. She was his best if not only true friend outside of Dean. She'd been there for him time and time again. She never let him down, and she never tore him down.

He'd be there for her now.

"...We don't know anything for sure." Her gaze was woeful as she darted her eyes back and forth between them.

She'd been pushing these thoughts away, for years now. Ever since the idea that she could or may be evil had manifested in her mind. No matter how many times she tried to reassure herself or let others tell her that she wasn't evil, or that she was normal, those thoughts always floated themselves to the front of her mind where they were able to disrupt her entire life and have her think for the worst. They haunted her relentlessly, and even terrified her.

"You would never hurt anyone." Sam responded, strongly.

She'd had nightmares a few times, not often, given she rarely remembered her dreams at all, but when they came around they stayed embedded in her mind for days at a time, and they always went the same. Either Sam or Dean shoving the knife right through her heart, or shooting her with specialized bullets, or slicing her head clean off of her neck. Regardless, it always went the same. She turned evil, and they had to die by their hands. She figured it was her swan song, the way it was meant to be.

Her prophecy.

 _Please God, don't ever let me hurt the ones I love,_ she prayed, keeping her heart as pure as it could possibly be in that moment.

She blinked back the tears that fought to fall, and Dean could see that she was trying her damnedest.

"Sam, could you give us a moment." It wasn't a question, Sam knew. And being honest with himself, he knew if anyone could get through to Aurora Singer, it was Dean Winchester.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." clearing his throat upon movement, he stood from his seat, grabbing his beer along the way, and made towards the door but not before offering Rory a sympathetic look along with a quick squeeze to her hand.

He wanted her to know that he was there, should she need him.

Rory silently accepted the love from Sam and stood fixed with her eyes on the wall over Dean's shoulder with glassy eyes, unable to process anything other than the haunting thoughts she'd managed to let burst past the back of her mind. At the sound of the door opening and shutting behind Sam, she blinked.

"Hey..." Dean's voice was soft, and lulling, but went unheard the first few times he called out to her.

"Hey. Aurora." It was the feel of his hands on her arms that pulled her out of her head. He was still callous to the touch, yet gentle, and she allowed herself to be coaxed by it, slowly bringing her gaze to settle onto his green hues.

"I-I...I'm sorry. I don't mean to make this all about me especially after something so crazy just happened to you and Sam it's just-"

"Hey, hey-hey stop. Okay It's alright. You're alright. We're all okay. We're fine." He cupped her cheeks, pulling her about an inch closer to his face as he spoke some sense into her. He couldn't stand to see her this way, so frazzled.

"This whole thing has been taking so much energy from me lately and I try to hold it all in. I try not to let it get the best of me I-" She broke off when the realization smacked her in the face.

Being evil hadn't ever meant much to her before. All it ever meant to her was that it wasn't good, and if it wasn't good, you kill it. That was it. That's what she'd grown to know. That's what her father taught her.

But now...

Her jaw went slack as she stared into Dean's powerful eyes.

If she was evil, if she was anything like what they'd lived to hunt, what they lived to erase from the face of the earth, that meant that she'd have to let go of him, of Sam, of her father, of everyone and everything she knew. It meant that she was the bad guy, the reason for someone's pain. It meant that she'd eventually wind up hurting him.

And he'd have to hunt her.

He'd have to erase her from the face of this earth.

"What if I'm the bad guy Dean?" Her voice trembled with fear of the day that may or may not come, and Dean could see it in her eyes. He exhaled through his nose, clenching his jaw as he fixed himself to speak.

"Look I know that this is scary, I know. But you need to hold yourself together alright? You're stronger than this. Whatever it is you're going through, we're gonna figure it out. Together. Okay? You're not goin' anywhere. Distance my ass. Tell Bobby he's gonna have to miss you all over again 'cause I'm not lettin' you go this time." He told her with the most serious look he could muster up. He needed her to hear him, and believe him.

He wouldn't rest until they figured this out.

"I won't rest until we figure this out. And Sam and I, we're not gonna turn our backs on you. Ever. You're part of our family. So, you can forget about all that bad guy crap. You'll never be the bad guy, not to me." He spoke fiercely, and he'd never been more serious about anything in his life.

He meant every word, and he could see that she was calming down. He could even feel it through the skin to skin contact like he always could whenever she touched him or vice versa. It was something he was beginning to think was another ability of hers. It would make a lot of sense, he always wondered how she was able to calm him down in his most troubled moments, all it ever took from her was a hand on his shoulder or body contact just as small.

 _There's no way she's the bad guy,_ he thought.

"...How can you be so sure?" She asked, unblinking and wary.

Dean took another step forward, until their chests brushed against one another's. He could feel her breath tickling this skin on his chin as she breathed calmly. Her pomegranate scent danced around his nose causing him to weaken at the knees, but he held himself strong, gazing intently back down at her.

 _Just say it man_ _, she deserves to know,_ he begged himself, taking in a deep breath.

"...Because the way you make me feel, there's no way anything evil could ever take credit for that." He expressed as best as he possibly could.

"And the way you're there for me and my brother, the way my mother looked at you...I know there's not an evil bone in your body Angel." He continued, spilling out what his heart would allow. He could see the peace slowly creeping its way back into her eyes, and almost swooned when he witnessed the corners of her lips twitch up in appreciation.

"I mean that." He finished.

"Thank you." She breathed, as if those words were all she needed to hear.

It wasn't everything she needed to hear, but it was enough.

Dean forced himself to let go, and let his hands drop back down to his sides, but kept his body where it stood, loving that she never made to step away either. They stared meaningfully into each others eyes, and Rory could feel the anxiety slipping away as she got lost in his.

"We're gonna figure this out, I promise. But I'm gonna need you to stay around a little while longer." He asked, begging with his voice.

Rory tried to fight it, the love she'd always have for him, but it was proving to be impossible the longer she gazed into those jade green eyes. It was as if it was growing stronger with every minute that passed by whether they were with or without each other.

Her head shook as she reached up to cup his stubbly cheeks before meshing their lips together.

Dean never saw it coming, at least not in that moment. He was sure he'd screwed things up for them the moment they'd said goodbye to each other all those months ago. He was to blame for why they'd ever been apart, and that killed him inside, but what they shared never allowed those ill feelings to last for too long. As soon as their lips met, they'd erased themselves from his memory.

It was slow and sweet before it became passionate and hungry, just as they knew their love to be. Dean sighed into the kiss, placing a hand behind her neck and the other against the small of her back to deepen it as they cautiously walked themselves towards the edge of the bed. Rory felt her senses heighten as the sparks rushed up her spine, causing her to shudder, rendering her weak and a slave to his spell. Dean wrestled his tongue with hers feeling the blood rush down south as he fought for dominance as they collapsed against the plush motel mattress. His hands began to explore, starting from the hem of her thin shirt, teasing the skin underneath it as he drew lazy shapes along her torso whilst her fingers found themselves pulling his t-shirt up and over his head in one swift motion causing him to break away from her swollen lips. She tossed the garment somewhere to her left and took in the sight above her. He was still as chiseled as she could remember, his muscles taut and shiny under the horrible room lighting. She ran her fingers over the smooth skin on his chest, familiarizing herself with every dip and curve of his body.

They took a moment to gaze into each others lust filled eyes. Rory took in small quivered breaths as she fought against the the urge to pin him to the bed and have her way with him. Dean could swear he'd never seen anything so beautiful before.

Good or evil, she would always be responsible for the goodness in him.

Rory released a breathy moan the moment he attacked her neck with kisses, nipping and sucking, moving up along her jaw, to her chin, her nose and then back to her lips where he let his tongue glide over her bottom lip. She smiled against his mouth earning one in return from him as he slowly pulled away for air, but still lingered against her skin. With both their eyes shut, they decided to revel in the moment while trying to catch their breath.

She'd been dying to relive another moment like this with him for so long now, and it was killing her to refrain from having her way with him, but she wasn't sure at all where they stood.

 _Maybe you should find out, genius! He's like all you thought about back home!_ She thought before taking a breath and forming the words.

"..We cant." She spilled, ghosting over his lips. The silence that followed soon after was alarming, and caused her to slowly peel open her eyes.

Dean had already been staring when she decided to open her eyes, and felt himself get sucked into those pooling gray-blue hues. They were so hypnotizing and beautiful that he couldn't even form a response. They'd dimmed over time. He'd never forget how much brighter they were back when they'd first met-

"Dean."

"Hm?" He snapped out of it, blinking a couple of times before he placed his focus on the conversation at hand. He'd find time to stare into those eyes later.

"We can't do this." She repeated, hating the fight her body tried to put up against her mind, but she had to put a stop to it. It wouldn't be right to carry on.

Dean could see her wheels spinning, and he found himself highly amused.

"Do what?" He tipped a brow with a knowing smirk to which Rory playfully rolled her eyes at while shifting slightly underneath his weight.

Dean chuckled lightly and sighed before nodding in agreement.

"I know.." He breathed. He knew they couldn't go any further, not while their broken relationship was up in the air hovering over their heads, but it's existence made him dizzy, and it was beginning to give him doubts.

 _What if she doesn't want to do 'this'? Does she even trust me anymore?_ , he thought.

"I just-"

"No it's okay. Don't worry about it." He cut her off, the rejection slicing him.

It was clear as day to him. He knew he still had strong feelings for her, he would even go as far as saying he was in love with her, but he couldn't speak for her. Maybe at one point in their lives, but things were different now, and he knew he was to blame.

"Dean." She sighed as he slid off of her and off the bed. His exposed upper body flexing under every movement while his jeans hung low on his waist.

"Dean-"

"I'm not mad. I swear. I'm good. Just..." He gestured to the bulge in his pants, and Rory had no choice but to follow his direction, blushing furiously when her eyes landed on his excitement.

All she could think in that moment was-

"But God I wanna rip your clothes off right now." Dean breathed, gazing lustfully at her as she lay there, hair tousled ad lips puckered and swollen.

Rory bit her lip in return, flustered.

 _Oh God._ She thought.

"I think we just need to...focus on what's more important right now." She itched the top of her head, and went slack-jawed the moment Dean had reacted.

His eyes went graved, pooling with hurt while his lips pulled downwards at the corners. Only for a fraction of a moment, and just as quick as it came, it disappeared and was replaced with a squint of disbelief.

"And that's-that's not us." He stated.

She never registered the words until after receiving his reaction, and then went over them in her head and realized just where she messed up.

"I-I didn't mean it like that-"

"No, you know what. It's-...you're probably right, right? I screwed up, so what right do I have to any importance in your life-"

"Of course you have importance Dean-"

"Maybe, but not us. Right? Not this." He pressed gesturing between the two of them, voice turning hard while he etched an expressionless look on his face.

Rory knew she had to choose her words wisely going forward. She slid off the side of the bed, running a hand through her waves out of habit.

"There are more pressing issues to worry about right now than you and I Dean. John's still missing, Sam's psychic, I'm who knows what, and you're two seconds away from having a mental breakdown! I came here because of those reasons. I came here to help!" She expressed wholeheartedly, trying to get her point across. The last thing they both needed was to be back on bad terms.

They all needed each other now more than ever.

Dean didn't respond, only continued to watch her while he processed her words. He could understand most of what she was saying, but couldn't get how she could so easily move them over to the sidelines as if they meant nothing.

"I came here to be here **for you**...not **with you**...Not right now." She articulated as carefully as possible. Dean softened.

"Look I get it, bad timing. I..." He trailed off and went to grab his shirt on the floor near the tiny table for two and quickly redressed himself before grabbing the case with leftover beer and heading for the door.

"Say no more." He said wanting nothing more than to get out of there unharmed and without scars.

"She told me to take care you and Sam..." He stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of her words and the mention of his mother.

He'd seen the moment well. He'd witnessed everything. The entire exchange was heart-stopping.

There was always a day he'd pictured in his mind, where he brought a woman home to meet his mother, and whoever the woman was, would be the one.

His wore wanly eyes as he stared at the beauty across the room.

 _The woman is you,_ he thought. He was sure of it. I mean sure, it didn't happened exactly as he'd pictured, but thinking it over, nothing ever went as planned when it came to his family.

"Mary gave me a job, just like your father gives you jobs time and time again, and whenever he does, you get it done, so until I'm sure I've done that job...We **can't** do this. And I **need** you to understand that...please." She begged with nearly every emotion sitting her eyes.

"It's not your job to look after Sam and I."

"Yeah well I'm making my top priority right now." She countered just as strongly.

Dean ran. From her, from them. And she couldn't shake the feeling that she had everything to do with the reason why no matter how much he told her it wasn't her fault. He couldn't do that again, not because of her, and she wouldn't give him the chance to.

 _If there's no us, there's no reason for you to leave,_ she thought.

Dean ran his tongue along his bottom lip as he shifted his weight and took a deep breath. It was clear he didn't get a say in the matter, and he couldn't take her hating him anymore than she probably secretly already did.

So instead of putting up anymore of a fight, he straightened up, took in a deep breath, and accepted it with a nod.

"I get it. We're good. Promise." He stated, paying her one more meaningful look before reaching for the door and pulling it open.

Rory watched him leave, the sound of the door shutting causing her to shoulders to drop as she heaved a sigh.

She cast her gaze upwards to the ceiling, doing her best to erase the feeling of his hot hands all over her skin.

"Please God..." She trailed off, not sure of what exactly to ask for, but she figured if anyone would understand her then, it'd be Him.

Because she wasn't so sure Dean did.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

1\. "Smother" - Daughter


	21. Heal Me

**Cedar Rapids, Iowa**

 **April 1st, 2006**

The sun was beginning to set in the horizon when Sam found Aurora seated on the trunk of her Mustang, gazing out into the open all by her lonesome. He'd stepped out for air and thought he'd maybe go for a beer and a burger at a nearby diner they'd passed on the way over to the motel. He paused after shutting the door, gaze glued to her back.

Rory could feel his stare and painted on a soft smirk as she stared out at nothing in particular. The road had been lonely and open all day, not many cars had passed by. It gave her a moment to appreciate the quiet and process all that had happened. Dean had retired somewhere she was unsure of, given the Impala was missing when she'd stepped out to tend to her tires, and to her surprise, they had been when she went to do it.

She knew Dean had been responsible, and couldn't help but allow herself to feel for him even more.

"Staring at a woman is rude Sammy.." She chose to speak then, her smirk spreading into a soft grin the moment Sam had strolled into view. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie for comfort she assumed, knowing it was something he did out of habit ever since he was a boy.

"You okay?" He asked. Rory's lip twitched up.

"Yeah." She breathed, sitting forward to rest her elbows on her knees as Sam watched her with careful eyes.

"You and Dean have a fight?" He asked, noting when Dean had come back to their room looking all but Dean-like. He looked somber and unreadable. Two things that Dean didn't do unless something was wrong or bothering him.

Rory sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know. He says no but...you know how that goes with Dean." She answered honestly, not sure where she and the older Winchester stood exactly. She was glad to have said what she needed to say though, and wouldn't apologize for it.

"Yeah. I do." Sam chuckled, moving to lean against the trunk, throwing his eyes on the scene across the street. It was filled with greenery, old and dried up. He then thought of all the things Aurora had told him about her abilities. He found himself asking the question of whether or not she could really do what she said she could.

"...Can you really do the things you said you can? The healing I mean?" He managed to ask, fighting against his right mind which told him it was a bad idea to ask.

Rory continued to breathe easy. After having spoken with Dean, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't feeling better over the subject, especially since she knew she'd still have them if worse comes to worse. She believed them when they said they wouldn't judge her.

Paying a glance to Sam, she nodded once.

"Yeah I can. It still sounds crazy when I say it out loud." She chuckled lightly.

"Believe me, I know the feeling. When Jenny answered the door and I saw that she was an actual person...I wanted to freak out so bad." Sam admit, letting Rory in. She listened intently as he spoke, noting the emotion in his tone.

The silence between them was sweet.

"You handled it well y'know. Probably a lot better than I would've." She told him earning a smirk from the young man.

"I doubt that, but thanks. I mean it. For being there."

"Any day, anytime Sammy. You can always count on me, you know that." She expressed, nudging her shoulder with his.

"Same goes for you." He spilled, turning his gaze onto her.

"You know you can come to me whenever. If you wanna talk or just...have someone listen. I'm there." He let her know with a thoughtful gaze to which Rory couldn't ignore. She reached a hand over to one of his that sat in his lap, and squeezed gently.

"I know." She smiled genuinely for him before checking her watch for the time that read 6:39PM and turned her gaze back onto the scene in front of them.

She looked on as a comfortable silence fell over them, forcing her eyes to see past the first layer of dead trees deeper into the large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush.

"Wanna take a walk somewhere?" She asked, keeping her eyes glued to the greenery. Sam looked down at her, and nodded without thought.

 _A walk would be nice,_ he thought.

"Sure. Been a while since I've taken one of those." He spoke lightly, sliding off the trunk and helping her down. She thanked him quietly and led the way across the road towards the woodland.

* * *

Sam had never seen anything like it, nothing ever quite this amazing before in his life, and he'd seen many things. Impossible things.

But this had to take the cake. This was, Godly.

He snapped his gaze onto hers as she sat in a crouched position with both hands slightly dug under the dirt and soil of the earth where she could feel the roots of the dying tree at her fingertips, emitted a pale pink energy. He'd witnessed the whole thing go down, and the way she'd become one with it all was incredibly fascinating to watch.

She'd taken a deep breath and asked him to stay silent, and as she exhaled her eyes fluttered shut and she felt a calm begin to permeate throughout her arms causing her fall into a dreamy state, the calm energy surged gently through her limbs at a slow rate just as it always did. She'd gotten better at it over time, and with practice she was able to stay conscious throughout the entire process. It had been a pain in the ass whenever she passed out or keeled over due to drainage of energy the first few times she tried it back home, but with time, she found she was improving.

Sam scoffed in disbelief, the grin on his lips wide and toothy as he darted his gaze back and forth between Rory and the rejuvenating tree. He witnessed the pinkish glow slowly work its way up the trunk, and then the bark, and swiftly wrap itself around it's branches before it dyed it's leaves in a rich green.

Life. Rory had given the dying tree it's life back. Right in front of his eyes.

Rory winced, her brows twitching as the energy flowing out of her began to pull a little too much.

Sam caught the look of discomfort on her face and frowned.

"Rore?" He called unto deaf ears.

"Rory." She ripped her hands out of the ground. Her gray-blue hues flashing a bright pink before she blinked it away. Her chest heaved as seh fought to catch her breath, falling backwards ready to have her back hit the ground, but before she could Sam came to her side cradling her into him. She payed him a grateful look with a tired smirk before picking herself back up slowly.

"Thanks, sorry." She breathed, running her hands through her waves as they obscured her vision.

"It's okay it's-are you alright?!" Sam worried aloud, not sure what had just happened, but wanting to get down to the bottom of it.

"I'm good. I'm good." He watched as Rory dusted herself off while they stood. She seemed a little pale in the face and he'd noticed that the natural gold shimmer her hair usually held had faded somewhat. He wondered if it had anything to do with whatever energy she was releasing and frowned at the thought.

"You're pale, are you sure?" He asked, cautious of her well-being, knowing his older brother would kill him if he didn't make sure she was okay.

"Yeah, just one of the side effects." She delivered a painful smirk, panting as she spoke.

"One of?" He questioned, confused.

"Uh, another one is pins and needles, feels like both of my arms fell asleep, and the pins and needles feeling is pretty intense." She admit, groaning as she shook her arms and rolled her shoulders as the prickly feeling slowly faded away. She'd grown accustomed to it, but that didn't mean it was any more easier.

Sam continued to stare at her in worry. Rory smirked when she caught his gaze.

"Y'know, any normal person would probably be running for the hills right now, or kissing my feet." She spoke, regulating her breathing once the pain wore off.

Sam scoffed in mild disbelief. Even in the midst of all that was happening with her, she was still the same Rory he'd grown to know and love.

"Lucky for us, I'm not normal." He smiled.

"C'mon. Some water would do me some good right about now." Rory spoke as she again led the way out of the forest, leaving the green behind them. Sam looked over his shoulder one more time, never wanting to forget what he'd seen.

* * *

"Any idea where Dean went?" Rory asked in curiosity and slight worry.

"My guess is he's out getting drunk." Sam replied, handing her a cold glass of water from the tap.

"Mine is he's out getting laid." Rory rolled her eyes, disgust running cold through her veins at the very thought of Dean laying with another woman.

It wasn't like it was unlike him to do something so poor in behavior.

"Hey what gives with you two anyway? I don't think we really actually spoke about it." Sam tossed out into the open, not caring how personal the question was. He was tired of tiptoeing around the two, and he hated not knowing who'd been responsible, though his most educated guess was his brother, but he wanted to be certain that when it was time to talk some sense into the culprit, it was the right one.

Rory smirked plainly for him, sipping from the rim of her glass, appreciating when the water washed away the burn in her chest.

"You sure that's a story you wanna hear right now?"

"Maybe not every detail." Sam grimaced, hoping she'd leave out any explicit detail.

 _I don't ever need to hear that._ He thought.

"Well let's see, how can I simplify this?" She leaned back in her seat, getting comfortable for what she knew was about to be a tedious conversation.

"We were out in Cambridge, Ohio staying in a bed and breakfast just until morning. Aaaaaand he took off in the middle of the night." Sam listened intently, catching the guarded look in her eye.

"Not a word, not a sound. Not a warning, just...poof. I called him countless times, like the crazy girlfriend I never wanted to be, I texted, I even hounded John for

answers...answers I knew he had about Deans whereabouts, but I think Dean made him promise not to tell where he was..." She trailed off, the pain from those days without Dean fighting to be existent again.

She shook it off.

Sam could feel the sadness trying to break free from her, and felt himself sadden over the fact. He couldn't imagine how worried she must've been. And to be left without even a clue...

"That's terrible." He thought aloud.

Rory folded her lips in in deep thought as the silence blanketed the room. She could feel the wound reopening, and began to fear that it would hurt even more this time. She looked down at her tummy, thin and flat as it rested just underneath the cotton material of her white v-neck shirt.

Jo was right, it was gonna kill her if she didn't talk about it.

"...Can you still keep a secret?" The corner of her mouth twitched when Sam nodded yes. She took in a breath, ready to let him in. She had to, or the guilt would drown her.

"I uh...it hurt. It still hurts...A lot. More than I think he'll ever know." She expressed with a pained look.

"I'm sorry Rory–" She held up a hand to stop him, and he did, closing his lips into a thin line while he waited in anticipation. Slowly, Rory brought her hand back to her lap, while gripping her glass of half empty water in the other.

"That's not the secret." She said, voice low.

 _Tell him Aurora. It's either you tell him, or you tell Dean._ She thought, weighing her options. Of course Dean deserved to know. It was his right, but she knew if she wanted to keep the group together, and look after them like she promised their mother, she'd have to hold back from telling him just a little longer.

 _When we find John,_ she promised, taking in a deep breath.

Didn't make the guilt and pain hurt any less...

She swallowed down the urge to keep quiet and fixed her lips to speak.

"Noah Robert Winchester..." She spoke clearly, with so much weight resting on her chest over her heart. The pressure squeezed so hard she was sure the major organ would pop in her chest.

Still, she managed to breathe through it.

Sam frowned, the lines in his forehead deepening as he registered her words with confusion.

"Who's that?" He questioned. The silence was no longer comfortable in the room, but thick and tense.

Rory flicked her gaze onto him, meeting his confused gaze.

"The name of your nibling." She spoke calmly, trying her best to hold onto her resolve. The only other person she'd ever told was Jo, and that was hard enough, talking about it out loud. Now with Sam, she wasn't sure how strong she could be.

 _Think of it as practice for the real thing,_ she thought, though she couldn't imagine what telling Dean would be like.

"...I was pregnant. Back in April, when Dean left...about two months along." She revealed, voice wavering somewhat. She cleared her throat, shaking it off.

 _Stay strong. You didn't get this far just to break down now._

Her leg began to hop as the silence threatened to choke them.

Sam gawked, the shock paralyzing him almost completely.

Aurora had been pregnant, with Dean's child. He had a nephew. The excitement began to spread throughout his green hues until the realization of her words hit him like a ton of bricks.

 _She said was,_ he thought as his lips melted into a deep frown. His gaze downcast to her tummy, noticing its flatness. If she was pregnant back in April, that'd mean she would've already had the baby sometime last year.

"When I started calling John...looking for him-..sorry." Rory was done for. The tears had already spilled over, too hard to hold in. The emotion was too heavy to carry.

"I was calling so that I could tell him I-...I was in the hospital.." Her voice grew thick and cracked with hurt. She could barely talk as the tears slipped down.

Sam's heart tightened in his chest. His jaw slacked, the grim expression settling hopelessly on his face. He could feel the tears burn his eyes at the sight of his best friend in so much pain.

"What happened?" He managed to ask, mourning the loss of his family. He'd never gotten the chance to until then, having not known all this time.

Rory cried, a chagrined expression painted on her face.

"I was on a hunt..." She sniffed wiping furiously at the traitor tears and clearing her throat to better speak.

"In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Read about a potential haunting that had been going on in that famous Scarehouse place.." She continued. Sam listened intently, unable to wield his sadness towards the situation.

"There was a ghost there, possessing the employees that were dressed up as haunt characters and killing guests. His name was Jim Morrison, and he was one pissed off spirit. He showed up when I went to salt and burn his bones at the cemetery, told me 'No one ever cared.'" She kept going, determined to finish the story.

"Then he threw me against a tree. So hard it-...I popped my shoulder right outta socket.." Sam tensed in his seat, watching as Rory went over things in her head. She paused for a moment, the memory of the pain from that night feeling way too fresh as she brought it up again. She exhaled shakily.

 _You should've never went on that hunt-_

"I fought my way back to his grave, I never gave up.." She looked up at Sam, meeting his bleak expression. She shook her head as the tears fell freely.

"Eventually I torched the sucker...but I took quite a beating." She sniffed as the emory replayed itself over and over again in her head.

"I tried to drive myself to the hospital, because I knew something was wrong I could-I could feel it." She grimaced in pain, her hand absently going to rest on her stomach.

"I was only a few minutes away, five at the most. And then this **pain** -...it was so bad I had to take my attention off the road, and uh..." Like a waterfall they started again, streaming down her cheeks. Sam popped up from his seat to stoop near her, taking her hand in his for comfort.

"The pain was so intense that my hand, jerked the wheel. I was speeding, maybe going forty five...I spun over...and when I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. They said it was the lack of oxygen that killed Noah, said he suffered too much trauma. I almost didn't make it."

"Rore.." Sam squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

"...When?" He asked, noticing she hadn't mentioned any date.

"It happened in July, I was five months along..." She blinked hard, the lone tear slipped passed her lids and raced down her damp cheeks.

"I-...I planned to find out the baby's sex after I finished the hunt. Had an appointment and everything." She cleared her throat, the bitter feeling returning in her gut. It had been a while since she'd felt it stirring within, and she welcomed it with hatred.

"Why did you do it alone?"

"Because I had no choice Sam. Dean was gone. John was...I couldn't tell dad, I couldn't call you-"

"Of course you could've called me, you can always call me!" Sam exclaimed, pushing up into a standing position above her. She shook her head and soon followed his movement, standing from her seat as well.

"If I'd called, would you have answered?" She challenged, looking him dead in the eyes, witnessing the frown on his lips.

"Besides it would've taken you away from you new life. I couldn't be the reason for that Sam. I had to do it alone." She spoke, turning to reach for her glass so she could chug the rest of the liquid down. She welcomed the aid it gave her throat and slowly walked over to the kitchenette to place the glass in the sink.

The silence was deafening.

"Dean still doesn't know?" He asked, though it sounded like more of a statement. Sam wanted nothing more than to march over to Dean wherever the hell he was and slap some sense into him for ever taking off on her. Had he known what was going on he would've-

 _I would've never left for college._ He thought.

Rory paused and sighed, resting both hands on the rim of the sink as she leaned against it, bowing her head, trying to fight off her inner demons.

"...not yet." She uttered earning a look of disbelief from Sam.

"Rory..." He stopped himself the moment she spun to look at him. His lips closed tight, and the breath passed through his nose causing his chest to deflate. Empathy flooded his entire body when he read the expression on her face.

She threw him a meaningful look from across the room, begging with her gray-blues

"...Not yet Sam." She whispered.

Sam clenched his jaw. What she was asking him to do was too much. This was too big of a secret to hold onto. This was gonna hurt someone.

But it wasn't his call to make. She'd trusted in him enough to spill her biggest one yet and he had to respect that, no matter how much he didn't want to.

He took in a deep breath and gave a curt nod.

"Okay."

"Promise me." She spoke, moving slowly to close the gap between them. Sam bit his tongue, but nodded even still, fighting against his urge to run out the door and find Dean and tell him.

"...I promise." He forced out with a breath.

Rory visibly relaxed, dropping her shoulders as she stood a foot away from him. She ran a hand through her wavy tresses.

 _You did it, good job, One down, three more to go._ She thought referring to Dean, Bobby, and John.

"I won't tell him. As long as you promise that you will, **before** things get worse." Sam added, causing Rory's gaze to flash back up at him. He watched her, unwavering and strong in his decision.

She knew she had to compromise. It was fair, and the right thing to do.

"I promise...I know it was his child too." She nodded.

 _I'll tell him._

Sam reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace, hugging her into his chest and resting his cheek on the crown of her head. She took a moment to process what was happening and tensed, but soon her shoulders relaxed and slowly she went to wrap her arms around his large frame, holding him close and squeezing her eyes tight as she accepted his support.

She was already beginning to feel some of the weight slip off her back. She hugged tighter, happy to have Sam Winchester in her life.

Some days she didn't know what she'd do without him.

Calmly they peeled away from one another, clearing their throats with a few giggles at the awkwardness.

"Wanna grab a drink or something? I need to dull out this ache somehow.." She chuckled nervously scratching the top of her skull while Sam continued to look at her with those puppy dog eyes of his.

She couldn't stand it, but knew he couldn't help himself.

"Yeah, sure." He led the way out, holding the door open for her to pass through watching her back as she walked by, his sadness ruling him entirely. He knew he had to mask it though. He needed to be strong for her. The reason Rory must've told him at all was because it was probably killing her to carry that kind of news around all alone. She needed someone to help her handle it, someone to help her be strong.

He needed to be that person for her.

They walked side by side to the car, both on either side of the car, but neither making a move to enter right away. Rory pulled out her keys and played with them in her hands for a moment, nodding to herself.

Sam smirked, happy to give her the credit she deserved. She'd been through hell and back, alone, and she was still standing. He smirked, knowing that whatever being she and Dean would've brought into the world, would've turned out to be an exceptional one.

He couldn't be prouder to be their uncle.

"...So you had a boy?" He spoke after a few moments of watching her idle. She flashed her gaze over to him, and felt the calm slowly return to her state. She knew she'd made the right choice in telling Sam. Sure she'd reopened her wounds, and they hurt like hell inside, but she didn't regret it this time. Talking about it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. He didn't hate her, didn't resent her, didn't blame her...instead he stood there with her, with a smile on his face, for her.

He wouldn't tear her down. He would help her through it.

"Yeah..." She said back, wanting nothing more than to smile through the pain. She did, but it was forced.

"Noah Robert Winchester?" Sam's display of affection grew wider with excitement.

"I wanted something biblical, and I went with Robert after-"

"Bobby." He finished earning an upward twitch at the corner of her lips.

The image of him laying in the nurses arms after the stillbirth was cold against her heart, but she'd never forget that beautiful baby boy. No matter what. That was her child, and she'd love him forever.

"He was beautiful." She grinned teary-eyed, but held them in.

"I know." He said before moving to open the passenger door.

"..C'mon, you deserve a drink."

Rory smiled, loving the fact that things could still be normal between them. She would've hated it if she ruined it with her confession.

"I like the way you think Sammy." She grinned, pulling open her own door to get in after him.

* * *

"Well well well look who decided to come outta hiding. Barkeep! Lemme get a round for my family!" The moment Sam and Rory entered the nearby pub, Dean had noticed. He'd noticed everyone who walked in.

By the looks of the place, it was where most of the towns life had lived. Filled with plenty of middle aged men with girl problems and women who slaved over tables. It was relatively clean, cleaner than most of the pubs they'd been to.

Rory found his voice, over by the bar, on one of the stools closest to the center. She wasn't surprised, Dean loved the attention, and it was clear to her that he'd had a few drinks.

She was trying to be on his level.

"Hey Winchester! Can I be part of your family?!" A drunken man with slurred speech over to Dean's left asked. He was barely hanging onto his stool, and his body was begging to meet with the ground below. Sam scoffed at the man.

"Sorry Roger, not possible!" He answered with a slight slur.

Roger looked as if his entire world had crashed down around him once he'd gotten rejected. Rory had to laugh, and already she could feel her spirits lift.

She led the way to the nearest booth over by the back of house, and Sam followed her. Dean took their lack of communication as an invitation in his intoxicated state, knowing how much Rory hated sitting at the bar. She loved her privacy.

"Couldn't let poor Roger in?" Rory joked as he slid into the booth next to her, resting his arm around the back of the booth just behind her head.

"He totally lacks the credentials." He spoke, earning a chuckle from her.

"What brings you two over here?" He asked relaxing in his seat.

"Not much just needed a change of scenery." Sam answered, picking up a short one sided menu that lay flat on the table. He was in the mood for a sandwich, but also wanted to do something nice.

He smirked reading over the desert menu. Rory waved over a waitress. She was pretty, and maybe around the same age as her. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her shoulders, curled at the ends and rich in texture. She almost envied it, and remembered the days when her hair was rich in color.

 _She could be on one of those pantene commercials,_ she thought to herself before looking down to the name tag.

"Hey Laura. Could I get a cheeseburger, extra onions and extra pickles and mayo please, and whatever's good on tap." She grinned as Laura took her order down on her notepad.

"Make that two cheeseburgers, but on mine, extra everything." Dean grinned boyishly at the waitress who rolled her eyes.

"Another one Dean?" She asked with playful eyes. Sam snorted under his breath, putting down the menu.

"I'll uh, take a BLT thanks. And whatever they're having to drink." He ordered with kind eyes.

"Be right back with your orders." Laura announced before walking off. Sam nodded and exhaled with a smile, eyes dancing around the pub as he waited patiently until they landed on Rory who winked at him, earning a wide grin in return as he made to slide out of the booth.

"I'll uh, be right back. Gotta take a leak." He told them.

"Say no more." Dean saluted, groaning as he leaned back in his seat when it was just he and Rory.

She tried to remain as calm as possible in his presence, though it wasn't proving to be too difficult now that she was feeling a bit lighter. She turned to Dean.

"Hey thanks for taking care of my tires." She nudged him with her elbow, a smile rested on her lips.

Dean zoned in on them, wanting nothing more than to capture them with his own, but decided against it.

 _Last thing you need is a nut punch,_ he thought.

"Anytime Angel." There was a brightness that had returned to her eyes, one that he had picked up on once he took a moment to look at her carefully. He smirked at her alluring beauty, tracing every inch of her face.

"Would you stop that?" Rory smacked him after a moment.

"Stop what?!" Dean cackled as he blocked her hand.

"Staring! It's creepy!" She grinned unable to keep a straight face.

"Well I can't help it!...You're beautiful." He admit, voice honest and true. Rory felt her heart melt and swell in her chest, and folded her lips in while keeping her gaze straight ahead, sure not to let it fall on Dean.

Though she was sure the blood had rushed up and settled under her cheeks.

"You're drunk." She chuckled shaking her head, wishing Sam would come back already. She let her gaze litter around the bar, finding him standing by the bar with none other than their waitress, Laura, exchanging words in a conversation. She squinted in curiosity, wondering what the hell they could be talking about when it dawned on her.

 _Way to go Sammy._ She raved mentally witnessing Laura pull out her notepad from her hip.

"No amount of liquor can match my tolerance Angel. Not drunk. Just honest." He countered, pulling Rory's attention away from Sam.

"We'll see." She winked, turning her eyes onto Sam when he reappeared at their table and slid into his rightful spot.

"Getting the waitresses number? Well I don't know what's more hilarious, that, or the fact that Dean thinks he's God."

"Can it Singer." Dean rolled his eyes playfully.

"I-I was just-"

"It's cool Sam, do your thing. Nobody's judging." She spoke lightly.

"Oh shut up." He smirked. His mind instantly traveled to Jess causing his smile to fade, but he was quick to catch himself.

Today wasn't a day for sadness. If Rory wasn't going to let it take her, then he wouldn't either.

Jess would be proud of him.

"Here we go!" Laura seemed to appear out of thin air, with arms filled with a tray of drinks and the other with a beloved double chocolate fudge brownie with a single candle stuffed in the center.

Her heart softened the moment it was placed down in front of her on the table. Laura reached over to light it with her lighter.

"Sam you sly dog." She broke out into a wide grin.

"Hey now, I'm the one who told him to get you over here." Dean cut in, earning a look from Sam.

"Thanks Dean. It was both of our idea." He spoke as Laura placed their beers down in front of them.

Rory could've cried right then and there, but she figured she'd done enough of that for the day.

"You had a birthday without us this year, so we just wanted to make sure we celebrated it while we have you here now." Sam continued whilst Dean painted on a soft gaze.

"It's tradition." He added.

Rory stared at the tiny flame, the smile set on her lips. She was elated, over the moon at the fact that they hadn't forgotten. Sure they'd sent a couple of texts and left voicemails for her since she hadn't answered their calls due to everything she was trying to overcome within herself at that time, but it wasn't the same.

Nothing beat having them with her. It was tradition.

Every year, they watched her blow out a candle on something chocolate, that being her favorite type of desert.

"I don't know what to say.." She admit.

Her birthday was weeks ago, and being honest, twenty-five felt no different than twenty-four, but Bobby had done the best he could to make her feel as special as ever, and she did.

He'd surprised her with a brand new butterfly knife, and a pair of new combat boots he'd said Jo had helped him pick up at the local store in town.

"Make a wish." Dean spoke as their eyes met.

Rory took a deep breath. There were a million things she could've wished for, but only one thing seemed to stand out more than others.

 _...I wish John would come back to these boys,_ she thought before quickly blowing out her candle.

Laura cheered while the boys clapped with happiness, happy to have the luxury of spending yet another birthday with the best and only special lady in their lives.

"Happy Birthday, Angel." Dean wished, placing a gentle peck on her temple. Sam then followed through with a peck on the cheek.

This was definitely enough to help her get by. Having them near, with her...

"I love you guys."

...It was all she needed.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1\. "Yellow Light" - Of Monsters and Men**


	22. Sleep Cap

**Author's Note:**

 **Hey guys, so I've decided that I'm not always gonna post an entire hunt. For an example, this chapter is starting around the end the Asylum job. It touches base, but isn't the entire plot. Just because I feel we can move through the storyline quicker and there's still so much to get through within Rory's story :). I'm hoping most of us are avid viewers of Supernatural and will therefore already know the parts that aren't written in this story, but for those who aren't, why the hell not? And I'll be sure to include a little summary so you're not completely lost!**

 **okay! That's it! You're free to read and enjoy now :)**

 **xo**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or its characters. I certainly do wish I did though. Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **Rockford, Illinois**

 **April 7th, 2006**

"Guys!"

Rory had finally reached the basement, skidding to a stop at the scene in front of her. Dean looked a mess, laying on the ground shielding his face from the mess of ash and bones on the floor next to him. Her face contorted into one of confusion.

"Is that?-"

"Yeah." He groaned, wincing as her sat up on his hands, never once taking his eyes off of the mount of ash.

"Is it over?"

"Yeah." Dean shorted, seeing her visibly relax as she stood over him.

"You okay?" She asked to be sure, happy she hadn't walked into a worse situation. She'd heard the gunshot in the far distance and took off leaving Cat and Gavin behind without care, but not before yelling a 'Don't move!' over her shoulder at them.

"Yeah." Dean answered, checking himself over just in case. He sighed in relief.

 _That was close,_ he thought.

Another groan in the room had grabbed next to all of Rory's attention. She looked to her far left at Sam, who had been awakening from unconsciousness, pushing upwards from his stomach with blood smeared around his nose and mouth, his jaw crooked with pain.

"Sammy?" She called to him rushing over to help him sit up on an elbow. She checked him over carefully.

"You let a ghost get one over on you?" She teased with a smirk, reaching over to help clean the blood off of his face.

His face was plastered with confusion as he looked around the room seemingly clueless to the events that had happened prior to him waking up.

Dean looked over his shoulder at the two, locking onto his young brother.

"You're not gonna try and kill me again are you?" He spoke, earning a puzzled look from Rory.

 _Again?_ Rory thought as she looked back to Sam who flexed his jaw painfully as he fixed to answer.

"Good, 'cause that would be awkward." Dean breathed wearing a sour face as he sat there trying to catch his breath. Rory pushed up to stand tall on her two feet, shifting her weight onto one foot.

" **Dean** did this to you?" She eyed the eldest with a glare. He shrunk under her hard gaze.

"What?! He tried to kill me!" He defended earning a sigh from her. Her shoulders slumped as she crossed around them, careful not to step on any of Ellicott's crumbled body parts along with any of Sam and Dean's.

"Whatever. You guys clean up, I'm gonna go get the other dimwits so we can get the hell outta here already." She barked as she left the two behind.

Dean sighed, wearing a pined face as he forced himself to his feet.

* * *

"Thanks guys." Said Cat as she and the rest of the group had gathered outside of the Asylum. Thankfully unscathed and alive.

"Yeah. Thanks." Rory tipped a brow with arms crossed over her chest as she watched the doomed couple in front of her.

She's totally gonna dump his ass. She thought with a slight shake of her head.

"No more haunted asylums okay?" Spoke Dean, his tolerance for the day just about thin to none.

"Seriously, next time you see a no trespassing sign, don't trespass!" Rory added flapping her arms up, not understanding how with the amount of signs that had been pinned and hung all over the exterior of the vicinity, they still managed to find themselves trapped inside.

Sam smirked at her frustration, knowing the lack of sleep was beginning to win her over. They'd barely gotten time to sleep before they came across this hunt. All she wanted was to get a couple of hours of sleep in before they took on anything too demanding, like a hunt, but all it took was a text from John with a couple of coordinates and that idea was wiped completely from the board.

They watched Gavin and Kat turn to make a quick walk of shame to their car, and in turn made their way back to their vehicles.

Rory never waited for the boys, and figured they'd just talk things over when they got back to the motel. She got into her Mustang and sat quietly for a moment, processing things over like she did after every hunt. Thankfully the spirits had been put to rest, and the victims could live to see another day. Her gaze flashed out of the windshield and fell on the two Winchesters who seemed to be caught up in conversation, more one sided since Dean had begun to walk away. Rory could tell he wasn't in the mood to talk about whatever had gone down between them in the basement.

Go figure.

His frustration was enough to let her know that whatever had been said wasn't good, nor was it sitting well with him, and made note to talk it over with him later when they weren't all sleep deprived.

Dean eventually got into the Impala and started her up while Sam took his time, processing things for himself. Rory noticed the guilt in his eyes and sighed.

She knew she'd have to make sure he was okay as well.

"Screw you, John Winchester." She spat under her breath, not understanding how the man could stand to stay away from his kids for that long. It was getting ridiculous, the absence, and Rory could see their wheels spinning.

 _A father should never abandon their children. Ever._ She thought bitterly, turning her key in the ignition, ready to head out.

* * *

Rory breathed easy, her hair tousled around her, laying loose and careless on her pillows while moving with the calm rise and fall of her chest as she slept sprawled out on the motel room mattress. All of the lines on her forehead had smoothed out while the bags underneath her eyes had deflated into nonexistence. She resembled a baby, resting peacefully and still as a lone tree.

* * *

 _She woke under waters, floating freely with the calm undercurrent of an unknown ocean, so wide she couldn't see the end, and so long there didn't seem to be a bottom. With her eyes open, she blinked time and time again, with no urge to fight the feelings stirring within her._

 _She was at peace there, the waters helped to cool the burning in her chest, applying just enough pressure to numb the pain._

 _She was weightless, fluid, and one with it all._

 _She could see the sun from shining bright and alive through the surface, it was blurry, but she knew of its existence. It was warm, and welcoming._

 _She'd never felt this happiness before._

 _It was almost euphoric, she could feel herself wanting to let go completely and succumb to the waves as she sunk upward. Her hand went to her chest and she lay it there, feeling the heat from the burn._

 _Slowly she went to take a deep breath when a guttural, resonating roar caused her to carelessly suck in a rush of salt water down her throat-_

* * *

Aurora jerked her out of her reverie, her body shot up as her eyes popped open and a fit of coughs forced their way up her throat nearly choking her in the process. Her hands raced to grip her chest.

"Ahhh!.." She hissed practically ripping her camisole off her body when the burning in her chest had grown way too intense to bare.

She winced, with her eyebrows pinched together at the center of her forehead and the pain seated comfortably in her eyes. Her teeth clenched together as she doubled over, keeping both hands on her chest, waiting for it to pass.

Her throat was raw and aching. She focused on calming her breathing, knowing it had just been another dream she'd been forced out of again. Another dream that she couldn't remember at all.

Suddenly, the buzzing of her phone on the bedside table cut through the silence of the night.

Her gaze automatically turned to look at it, and she ignored all symptoms the moment she read the name on the screen, nearly tumbling off the phone as she jumped for her device and answered it quickly.

"John?!"

* * *

Rory paced back and forth in her room, just next door to the boys she did her best to contain her anxiety while going over their entire conversation in her head.

She grimaced, not understanding, but quickly snapped out of it, sobering up almost completely the moment the knocking was sound on her door.

She jumped into action, painting on the calmest face she could muster up.

Taking a breath in, she moved for the door.

"Hey, you awake?" Dean's eyes were alarming, and she knew why...

John had called them, but she had to be cool.

"I'm standing here aren't I?" She said casually delivering a smart remark.

Dean took that moment to notice her figure, which for the time being was sporting a lot of exposed flesh. He blinked back the emotions that fought to show in his eyes and fixed his mouth to speak. He had to speak. He had to say something to take the attention away from his muteness. Anything.

"I-..." She was clad in a white camisole, tight enough to trace every dip and curve of her upper body. If he stared long enough he was sure he could see her nippl-

"Dean?"

"Huh?" He answered absently. Eyes dancing down to her boy boxers, a pair he could've sworn had gone missing months ago from his rummage of clothes. Not that he minded though.

The things he wanted to do to her-

"What's going on?" She asked, feeling the guilt claw it's way up her spine. Shifting on her feet, she shook off his longing gaze, ignoring the way it made her feel.

Dean switched gears, knowing he had to pay more attention to more important things. He gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Dad called."


	23. Scarecrow Pt I

**Hola my beautiful readers! My my we've come a long way in such a short time. I'm noticing all the follows and favorites and I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF MY BABY! Honestly I didn't expect this story to do this well. I originally posted for fun as well as my unhealthy obsession for the Winchester boys ;) With that being said! I think it's time I mention that this is an M Rated story FOR GOOD REASON. I plan to implant some serious lemons soon. I'm not sure who'll be happy about it, but I know I am! ho will these lemons involve? ;) Wait and see! Thanks again for the support! I love you guys!**

 **REVIEW! COMMENT! REVIEW!**

 **LEAVE YOUR LOVE!**

 **Alright! Onwards and Upwards with the reading!**

 **xo**

* * *

 _ **Flashback**_

 _"Aurora?"_

 _His voice was still as distinct as she could remember, laced with gruff and kissed with age and wisdom just as her father's. It brought comfort to her soul knowing that he was still alive and able to use it._

 _"John what-where the fuck are you?!" Her heart began to race as she moved throughout the room with speed, so fast her vision never had the chance to settle on one object. She gathered her things as best she could, reapplying her camisole while still holding the phone to her ear as she anticipated his response._

 _"Listen to me I don't have much time and I'm running outta quarters. Are you alone?"_

 _"Yes. John just tell me where you are, I'm with the boys we'll come get you I–"_

 _"Aurora–"_

 _"We've been worried sick about you–"_

 _"Ariel!"_

 _She tensed, her muscles tightening in the center of the room. The strap of her duffel sliding off her shoulder and landing onto the floor next to her feet in a heap the moment her shoulder slumped slightly._

 _"...I need you to listen to me and listen to me carefully. You need to remember. Alright? You need to remember."_

 _Rory's brows knitted at the center of her forehead. Confusion splayed across her features as she tried her best to decipher what John Winchester could possibly mean._

 _"What? What do you mean? Remember what? What the hell are you talking abou–"_

 _"You need to remember. I can't say much else."_

 _She could hear the desperation in his tone, something John never wore well. She knew whatever he was talking about was serious. She shook her head slightly, still not understanding._

 _"Wait-John I don't understand you're not making any sense, remember what?!" She asked, pulling at what felt like an endless thread. She could feel the deeper meaning of his words taunting her, circling around her head like cartooned yellow stars and chirping birds. It made her dizzy._

 _"Your dreams. You need to remember them. All of them."_

 _Rory felt the shock paralyze her, cooling over her soul as she froze completely. His words were loaded, more than she'd like to acknowledge, but she had no choice._

 _"...How do you know about that?" Her breath hitched in her throat as she loosened enough to shift her weight, some of the shock expelling itself from her body and out through her mouth into the air where it grew thick._

 _No one knew about her dreams. No one but her, and quite possibly Missouri given she seemed to know everything. She hadn't even told her father, thinking it was nothing too serious to discuss what with everything else they had to deal with on a daily basis._

 _"No time to explain just listen to me–"_

 _"No you listen to me. You can't just call after everything that you've put these boys through and expect me to just take your orders. You may be the boss of them, but you're not the boss of me. So why don't **you** do the listening for once, and **call your damn children.** " She spat through the phone, voice laced with distaste for the older man. As good as it was to finally hear from him, she couldn't help but remember all that had happened in the time that he'd been away, all that he'd missed._

 _It gave her a bitter taste in her mouth for the man._

 _"...Okay."_

 _Her eyes widened for a moment before she spun on her heel to face another direction, her brows pulling together._

 _"...What?" The word tumbled over her bottom lip._

 _That was too easy, she frowned. It was never like him to do as other people demanded of him._

 _"I'll call. I just needed to talk to you first. Listen. You gotta back off and stop searching for me. I'm okay, but there's some things I gotta take care of first before I–"_

 _"Well why the hell not just do whatever together?!–"_

 _"You know why. It's not safe."_

 _Rory huffed in annoyance, running a hand through her tasseled waves. She felt as though there wasn't enough time for her to persuade him into telling her where he was, or figuring out just what the hell was going on with him. It was beyond her how he could ask for them to just stop the search for him after almost six months of looking._

 _"John I-..you can't just expect us to stop." She made a face at the empty wall in front of her._

 _"If you don't, someone's gonna get hurt, and I'd rather keep you three safe so–"_

 _"So why now? Why shake everyone up now?" She asked, demanding a real answer. It wasn't adding up._

 _"Because! Look I called to warn you. Stop looking for me. You and the boys just keep hunting. And you work on remembering your dreams."_

 _His voice leaked frustration. but Aurora didn't give a damn. They deserved an explanation. Especially her, she felt. Clearly he'd run into something during whatever spirit quest he was on, something about her, and she wasn't sure how, but she knew he was withholding information from her, and for all she knew, it was all the information she needed, but he wouldn't tell her. He made that clear with the way he was speaking to her, as if she were one of his own, just expecting her to take whatever he gave her and go with it simply because he said so._

 _She sighed fighting back the urge to argue, she knew with someone like John, she wouldn't get very far if she chose to._

 _"Do you know why I can't in the first place?" She asked strolling over to the edge of the bed to plop down on it, her palm slapping her thigh as she did._

 _"It's not something I can explain right now. I don't have time. Just trust me–"_

 _" **Trust** you." Her tone was filled with disbelief as her eyes rolled. _

_"If you wanna finally figure out who the hell you are? Yes. Trust me."_

 _John sighed, sounding flustered and out of pleas, and it made Rory feel the slightest bit sorry for him. It was obvious that he was handling a lot, and for all they knew he was in the middle of some war taking a time out to place a desperate phone call. She wanted to argue, she wanted to fight and tell him about himself for ever leaving his boys behind among other things, but she knew now wasn't the time._

 _If John Winchester was begging her, that meant that whatever was about to go down was big._

 _"...How?" She asked, defeated for now. John sighed, seemingly tired as well._

 _"I'm not sure kid. Look I gotta go I gotta call the boys. I'm taking a risk even being on the phone right now. Keep moving, and keep a low profile."_

 _Rory nodded, taking in his words seriously as she rubbed mildly at her temple, feeling a migraine coming on._

 _"And **don't** tell them about this phone call. They can't know I called you." _

_"No. No-no-no. You can't ask me to lie to them John." She flew up from the bed, standing to her feet again as she paced the room back and forth. Rory was at a loss of how to feel now, not knowing how to react to what he was asking of her. Dean and Sam had been searching relentlessly, day after day for the man, and for him to ask something so big of her was almost too much. They would never forgive her for keeping that from them._

 _"Well I am and I'm begging' you to trust me. Just please do what I say Ariel."_

 _She tensed at the sound of her name again. It was never a reaction she was able to control whenever the sound of it registered in her brain. It just always happened._

 _"Why are you calling me Ariel? You never call me that..." John never said anything right away, but Rory could hear his heavy breaths on the other side of the phone call. He sniffed a few times, and cleared his throat._

 _"You be careful out there."_

 _He spoke, completely ignoring her question. Rory squinted for a moment, not exactly sure why she felt like his words were so loaded during their entire conversation._

 _"...You be careful too John. I mean it." She spoke, turning to face the window._

 _"I will. And thank you, for looking after the boys."_

 _Rory took in a deep breath before letting it go and blinking her eyes shut for a moment as she registered his words. She couldn't help but hear it as an apology._

 _"It's okay really. It's more like we look after each other actually." She chuckled lamely._

 _"I'll call again soon. Don't be around them when I do."_

 _And just like that the sweet moment was over, and Rory was left to swim desperately in his pool of words. She slowly let her hand holding the phone return to her side as she stared out of the window at the moon._

* * *

Rory shook out of her memory remembering that it was her in control of her beloved Mustang. She had luckily been a good enough driver to stay in her lane even while her attention was off the road. It was moments like these where she grew confident in her ability to become a Nascar driver should hunting not work out for whatever reason she was sure would never arise.

 _"Alright, so, the names Dad gave us, they're all couples?"_

She sighed, remembering the days when her nights never started with sentences like that, but soon shook off the daydream to better pay attention to Sam as he spoke to both her and Dean while she tuned in on speakerphone.

 _"Three different couples. All went missing."_

Dean informed as he sat analyzing the cases in the passenger seat.

Thankfully, the hunt John had sent them on was interesting.

"And they're all from different towns? Different states?!" She spoke, her volume a little louder feeling like they wouldn't be able to hear her properly over the roar of her engine.

 _"That's right, Angel. You got Washington, New York, Colorado. Each couple took a road trip cross-country. None of them arrived at their destination, and none of them were ever heard from again."_

Rory hummed, her lips pulling down at the corners as she shrugged.

 _"Well, it's a big country, Dean. They could've disappeared anywhere."_

 _"Yeah, could've. But each one's route took 'em to the same part of Indiana. Always on the second week of April. One year after another after another."_

Dean explained simply, bidding for the case. Rory knew he would get the job done. It was an order from his father, an order he knew not to disobey. It was just the way Dean was programmed for as long as she could remember.

 _"This is the second week of April."_

Sam stated the obvious earning a playful eye roll from Rory.

 _No shit Sherlock,_ she smirked.

 _"Yep."_

Dean answered plainly.

"And another one gone, and another one gone. Another one bites the dust hey!" She sang as strident and in tune as she could. The call was then followed by an awkward silence, causing Rory to purse her lips and squint in regret.

"Too soon. I know. I hate myself already." She shook her head, questioning her sanity, though she was pretty shocked that Dean hadn't at least chuckled at her attempt to lighten the mood. It was obvious as soon as she'd met the boys outside the motel that John's phone call had rattled them. They looked like a couple of chickens with their head severed off throwing their things into the trunk and backseat.

"Aw come on gimme something!" She flapped an arm up before resting it back on the gear. A bright grin graced her lips the moment she heard Deam's hearty chuckle dance through the phone.

 _"Dean don't entertain her!"_ Sam chastised earning a giggle from Rory.

 _"What?! It was funny! I saw you smirk!"_ Dean defended.

"A-ha!" Rory beamed. Glad she was able to get them to share some kind of amusement together.

"Whatever. So, Dad is sending us to Indiana to go hunting for something before another couple vanishes?"

 _"Yahtzee. Can you imagine putting together a pattern like this? All the different obits Dad had to go through? The man's a master."_

Rory shook her head at how much the man idolized his father. She was well aware of how much that fact annoyed Sam.

 _Wrong choice of words Dean,_ she thought to herself.

 _"What are you doing?"_

She heard Dean question just as the Impala's break lights lit up a bright red and pulled over to the side of the dirt, lone road.

"Hey now. What-..." Rory trailed off slowing her car to nearly zero mph as she pulled up behind the boys. Her brows furrowed as she put the car in park and waited patiently for someone to speak.

 _"We're not going to Indiana."_ Sam stated simply.

 _"We're not?"_

"Huh?" Both Rory and Dean answered.

 _"No. We're going to California. Dad called from a payphone. Sacramento area code."_

 _Aw balls._ She cursed mentally before opening the door to exit her vehicle and make her way over to the Impala. She walked with caution, making sure to be aware of her surroundings just as she was trained.

Rory wasn't surprised that Sam was putting up a fight to go and find their father. He was stubborn that way, and it was stupid of her to ever think that he'd ever go along with leaving John behind in whatever mess he was about to be in. It made her nervous, and it was killing her keeping their phone call a secret, but she knew it was necessary...in some twisted way that she couldn't understand yet.

 _"Sam."_ She heard Dean's calm voice and put a little more effort into her step so she could get to the car before they were at each other's throats.

She came up next to Sam's window, knocking the glass with her knuckles to get their attention. Sam didn't even bother to look her way as he rolled his window down. It was as if he were expecting her to get out of her car and come and check on them.

He knew her well.

"...We've gotta be there. We've gotta help." His voice was audible now, and Rory could feel the pang in her chest at his longing to reunite with his father. She didn't blame him, but she couldn't let them go. John had specifically asked for them to stay away, and if she knew him as well as she thought she did, he'd said that for a good reason. She refused to think he wanted nothing to do with his children, or her for that matter. They'd done nothing wrong, only all he'd ever asked.

"Dad doesn't want our help." Dean answered.

"Yeah Sammy, Dean's right on this. If John wanted our help he'd call us for it, not to tell us to stay away." I tried to reason with him.

"I don't care." Sam replied, and he meant it.

"He's given us an order." Rory winced at Dean's choice of words.

"I don't care. We don't always have to do what he says." Sam spoke firmly, and Rory had to admit to herself that she agreed.

"Sam, Dad is asking us to work jobs, to save lives, it's important." Dean continued.

"Alright, I understand, believe me, I understand. But I'm talking one week here, man, to get answers. To get revenge." Sam made a good argument. Being honest with herself, Rory was more than able to understand his hunger to find his father, and his need for revenge, but even still, it didn't seem reason enough for them to just turn their backs on innocent people.

John had made it clear that he was okay. That was enough for now.

"Alright, look, I know how you feel." Dean started. Rory visibly cringed, her shoulders scrunching up when Dean's words hit the air.

 _Dammit Dean. Wrong choice of words!_

"Do you?" Sam returned, tone icy and cold earning a shocked look from his older brother. Rory sighed already knowing where the direction of their conversation was going to go.

"How old were you when Mom died? Four? Jess died six months ago. How the hell would you know how I feel?" He spat.

"I doubt he meant it the way you think he did Sam, c'mon. Let's just take a second-"

"Dad said it wasn't safe. For any of us. I mean, he obviously knows something that we don't, so if he says to stay away, we stay away." Dean replied, not bothering to touch the subject of Jessica and Sam's grief. In Rory's mind, he'd defused the situation better than she thought he would, and found herself sighing with relief.

"I don't understand the blind faith you have in the man. I mean, it's like you don't even question him." Sam exclaimed with disbelief, and Rory was sure that had pressed the wrong buttons with Dean. She cast her gaze unto him, her eyes worried for his reaction, and she could see the fiery look he fed Sam while his lips quivered with the means to move-

"Yeah, it's called being a good son!"

 **"Dean!"**

Sam, pissed off and feeling insulted, pushed open his door, nearly knocking Rory over in the process, though she kept her angered gaze on Dean the entire time, not able to believe the words that had just left his mouth. He didn't waste any time setting the map onto the seat and getting out after Sam, following him to the trunk with Rory hot on their heels. Sam began to unload his things, and Rory couldn't help but feel a wave of anxiety wash over her and ran her hand through her natural golden waves.

"Dean." She called after him, hoping to stop him before he could say anything he would regret.

"You're a selfish bastard, you know that? You just do whatever you want. Don't care what anybody thinks." He released, not once holding his tongue. Rory felt as though she were failing miserably.

"You guys." She tried again.

"That's what you really think?" She looked to Sam, reading his face and seeing the hurt settling in his puppy dog eyes.

"Yes, it is."

" **Dean.** Stop it." Rory shoved him lightly, but he held his glare with his younger brother as they sized each other up.

"Well, then this selfish bastard is going to California."Sam slung his backpack onto his back and started a calm stroll away from them.

"Jesus Christ." Rory swore flapping her arms up in the air in defeat, taking the Lord's name in vein.

"Come on, you're not serious." Dean called out after Sam.

"I am serious!" Sam replied.

"Sam look we can't just leave those people to die alright?! We need to go and do this job and then we can head out and look for John right after! He's okay!"

"And how would you know?!" He yelled back, the stress shining through his moonlit gaze when he turned his attention to his best friend.

"I-..."

 _Because he told me so, when he called me, and promised me not to tell you guys about it._

She wanted so bad to come clean, but she knew she had a promise to uphold.

 _Screw you John Winchester,_ she hissed mentally, hating the guilt.

"It's the middle of the night! Hey, We're taking off, I will leave your ass, you hear me?!" Dean bellowed, and Rory felt helpless watching as the gap between them only grew wider and wider.

He stopped only for a moment to turn and look back with a carefree shrug.

"That's what I want you to do." He replied, triggering a pang in the center of Rory's chest. They all shared an intense stare, as if one were waiting for the other to react.

"...Goodbye, Sam." Dean bid his brother farewell, and Rory felt her heart sink into her stomach as she flashed her eyes onto Dean.

"What the fuck are you doing? Dean!" She shouted at the older Winchester as he went to close the trunk with a slam and make his way around to the drivers side of the Impala. Her eyes flickered back onto Sam's distancing figure.

"Sam just _**wait**_!" She called out desperate to keep the group together. That was her job, just like Dean had his orders, she had hers.

And she was failing. Miserably.

A scoff left her lips as she stood lonely in the middle of the dirt road.

It only took a moment for her anger to steer her in the direction of Dean.

"Are you fucking kidding me with that shit Dean?! Have you lost you're damn mind, you're just gonna let him leave?! There's God knows what out there!" She blasted, not at all holding back the hiss in her tone, it practically dripped from her lips. Dean started up the Impala, keeping a cool face and acting as though nothing had happened just a minute before. Rory was floored.

 **"DEAN!"**

"What the hell do you want me to do Aurora?! Sam doesn't wanna go with us! He wants to find dad! So let him go!" He yelled back, finally looking her in the eye. She could see the hurt, but that didn't mean that he had a right to say the things that he did.

"We all wanna find John! That's no reason to act like idiots! Not now! Not while there are still plenty of lives to save! Go and get him!" She demanded.

"Nah, I'm not wasting my time. He wants to go on a wild goose hunt let him go." He waved her off.

Rory wanted to pull her hair out from the root, and actually reached up to do so before she found the strength to stop herself.

"You two are fucking impossible I swear." Dean did nothing but glare up at her out of his window.

She stepped away from the car and marched back over to hers, the heels of her combat boots slapping against the ground as she moved.

"Fine! You don't wanna go after him, I will!" She heard the crank of the Impala door opening behind her.

"Aurora. No you're not, we need to stay together!" Dean's voice was authoritative, a tone that Rory couldn't stand when it was being used on her.

He knew better than to throw orders at her. She stopped with her hand on the door while looking over at him.

"That's what I'm trying to do! I'm gonna go and bring him back Dean!" She yelled back as if it were so obvious, but she knew better with Dean.

It would take a while sometimes for things to make sense.

"He doesn't wanna come with us Rory!" Dean stressed, desperate to keep her by his side. The last thing he needed was for her to leave him too. He couldn't do this alone. That much he was sure of.

"Well then I'll bring him to where he wants to go! I'm not gonna let him walk the street at night knowing what's out there!" She got into her car, started it and made a u-turn before pulling up next to him on the road, the noses of their beloved cars facing opposite directions.

Dean glowered at her. His head feeling as though it were about to explode.

"I'll call. Don't get into any trouble. Be back as soon as I can be." She spoke before rolling off down the road where she was sure she'd find Sam.

All the while, the voice of Mary Winchester's replayed itself in her mind.

 _...Take care of them_

Her eyes darkened with determination before she pushed down on the gas pedal.


	24. Scarecrow Pt II

**Interstate-72**

 **April 8th, 2006**

"Sam, c'mon get in the car." Rory begged for what felt like the thousandth time to the younger Winchester as he stalked down his lonely path towards his wayward father. She couldn't even describe the impatience she was feeling. It was practically burning a hole through her chest, making it hard for her to focus on anything else.

But she forced herself.

"Why? You're only gonna take me back to Dean, and that's nowhere near where I wanna be right now-"

"I won't take you back to Dean then!" She yelled out of the passenger side window that she'd rolled all the way down so she could talk some sense into Sam's head.

She winced, realizing that Sam had predicted exactly what she planned to do.

"I mean...I was gonna try but that's beside the point!" She covered up, trying to steer the direction of their conversation.

"Then what is the point Rory? Tell me. Because clearly you don't seem to think finding dad is anymore!-"

"Hey! That's nor true fair to say to me and you know it. I wanna find John just as bad as you Sam, but we need to be smart here!" She replied, sighing when a few seconds passed with no response from Sam.

"Fine let's say we do it your way and we find John in Cali, and we will. He'll be fine just like I said he would be..." He payed her a look, sure there was still more to come. Rory was happy to at least have him look at her.

"But innocent people are gonna be dead Sammy. Without our help they don't stand a chance." Her voice softened trying her hardest to see reason seeing that she was running out of them. Sam didn't answer right away, but turned his neck to stare straight ahead.

"Dean'll have their backs." He shrugged, earning a look of shock to settle on Rory's face. She couldn't believe that Sam was so willing to throw the lives of innocents away all for John.

It wasn't right, and it was definitely unlike him to think it was. Especially not while Dean was out there alone now that both she and Sam had left him for the time being.

"...And who's gonna have his?" She furrowed his brows and slowed the car to a stop, keeping her foot taped to the break pedal when Sam too came to a stop on the opposite side of the road. He sighed paying her a look of confliction. He bit his lip and looked away for a moment before he started his walk again.

"...Just go and help him then Rory, I'll be fine. I promise, I can look after myself." Rory gave a huff of a breath before she slowly tapped the gas pedal again.

"God why do you have to be so stubborn?! Believe me I don't doubt that you can look after yourself I mean you did fine on your own in Stepford-"

"Stanford!" He exclaimed, hating that she purposely renamed his university. She did it all the time, and never made it a point to cover up the fact that she thought the place was a bit too shaped up, even for him.

"Same thing! Look Sam, I just don't trust what's out there." Having had enough of the chasing and begging she switched gears and roughly stepped on the gas while turning the wheel to its right so that she could cut Sam off in his pursuit to get away. He tripped over a step with a look of shock.

"Now get in the car...before I **make** you get in the car." She matched, both hands on the wheel while she glared at him. Sam knew she meant business, and didn't doubt for one moment that she wouldn't hesitate to get physical. What scared him wasn't even the look in her eyes, but more so the good chances of her actually doing what she said she would and being successful.

Not that he was weak and couldn't hold his own, but Aurora was strong.

Her face softened as she read the look on his. He didn't want to go back, he wanted to find John. He was set in that decision, and making him do the opposite would be forcing him.

"I'll take you where you wanna go." She didn't want to force him, no matter how much she knew it was a bad idea to go after John.

"Just until daylight." He voiced, not wanting to take Aurora completely out of her way. He was kind of surprised when he saw her Mustang pull up beside him, but had to admit his heart smiled at the gesture. But no matter how much he wanted the company of his best friend, he wanted her to get back to Dean, knowing he was probably pissed that she chose to come after him instead.

She belonged with Dean. They were stronger as a team.

"Fine, assjack. Just get in." Aurora heaved a sigh as Sam begrudgingly got into the passenger seat, shutting the door a little harder than necessary. Rory rolled her eyes and slowly increased her weight on the gas pedal and reversed the car, not even giving Sam the chance to settle completely in his seat.

"You Winchesters I swear to God..." She muttered under her breath as she put the gear in drive and signaled, driving back onto the road.

* * *

 **Somewhere Along I-80**

 **April 8th, 2006**

The two hadn't said much on the way, what with Sam stuck in his thoughts and Rory too busy worrying about Dean while mentally tracing his steps. She assumed he had made it to Burkitsville by then, but the possibility hadn't brought her the least bit of comfort, and Sam could read that much on her face.

He reached over to lower Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust", the song had been stuck in her head ever since she'd sung it.

"Here's fine Rore." He made sure to keep his voice gentle and light, hoping she'd notice and see that he wasn't angry with her.

This was just something he had to do.

Rory glanced at him, her hand tightening on the steering wheel. The sun had thankfully risen about an hour before he'd decided to speak up, and she silently thanked him for holding out.

"..Alright." She looked back out of her windshield, spotting another body just a little ways up. It was a girl from what she could see. It was hard to tell since her back faced them which struck Rory as odd.

Clearly she's hitchhiking, but how the hell does she expect to hitch a ride with her back to oncoming traffic? She thought with the slight tilt of her head. The stranger sat on top of her bags.

"Look. Another stray, you guys can be friends." Rory cracked, earning a playful eye roll from Sam as he gathered his bags. He made to get out of the car when Rory stopped him with a grip on the arm of his jacket.

She payed him a stern look, giving Sam no choice but to take the moment seriously.

"Be careful. Call as soon as you get anywhere. Don't make me worry Sam. I mean it. I'm s'posed to be looking after you boneheads not chasing you down the back roads of America." She spoke calmly, earning a light smirk from her best friend. He nodded.

"I promise I'll check in. You be careful out there." He told her before reaching in to place a peck on her forehead. He smiled once more, thanking her with his gaze before getting out of the car. She watched him walk a couple of steps before rolling down her window.

"Hey!" She called out for him. Sam spun on his heels, his bags slung by his sides as he watched her in question. Rory tossed a nod his way gesturing to the stranger behind him.

"Don't trust anyone!" She told him, hearing her phone buzz with a text. She didn't even have to look at her screen to know it was from Dean, probably demanding to know where she was.

Sam smirked and nodded okay before turning around again.

Rory made a slow u-turn, trying her best to see the interaction between Sam and the stranger who turned out to be a woman after all.

She wasn't sure why, but she got a bad feeling in her gut, and she wasn't sure where it was coming from.

"He'll be fine Rory. You're overreacting." She sighed, driving off, leaving Sam in her rear view mirror.

"Dammit Dean." She fussed while reaching for her cell that sat in the cup-holder. She switched gears before committing to the call.

"Yes dad?" She answered lamely, holding one hand on the wheel.

 _"You forgot the 'dy' at the end of that."_ She could hear the smugness in his voice and could only imagine the smug smirk that went along with it.

"Ew." She deadpanned, not bothering to make a face, feeling drained of energy after dealing with Sam.

 _"Heheh. Where are you?"_ Dean chuckled, anticipating her arrival.

"On my way to Burkitsville." She replied easily, holding the phone to her ear.

 _"What? Where's Sam?_ " He asked, not able to believe that she'd convinced Sam to do the job their father had ordered them to do.

"Making a new friend, on the side of the interstate to Cali. I dropped him off, he's fine."

 _"Rory-"_

"Before you chew me up, let me just tell you that if I have to argue with one more Winchester I swear, I'm gonna choke one to death. He's **fine.** I promise, and if you don't believe me why don't you just drop your stupid pride already and call him." She told him off, the frustration leaking from her tone.

The line went silent for a moment.

"Fill me in." She added, wanting to know what he'd been up to and how the hunt was going. She was sure he'd been doing fine on his own, but a part of her couldn't wait to get back to him so that they could do it together...

Like old times.

 _"...Alright. I talked to some of the citizens, it's a real nice town by the way. Seriously everyone's nice. Everyone knows everyone around here."_ Dean responded boredly, and sounding slightly disgusted, earning a smirk from Rory.

 _"A few nice folk pointed me in the direction they gave the Holly and Vince the last time they saw them. Apparently it was how to get back onto the interstate from the gas station in town."_

"Mm. Sketchy." Rory replied with a squint.

 _"Tell me about it, so I'm headed in that direction now."_ Dean told her.

"Okay. You got a cover story goin' on or...?" She asked, wanting to be nothing but prepared so that she could blend in with his cover once she finally made it to the town.

 _"M'name's John Bonham, wondering if any of these kind town folk have come across my good friends Holly and Vince Parker. They went missing about a year ago and it's believed they passed through this wonderful town Burkitsville. I've already asked around Scottburg and Salem-"_

"Wow, you've got this alias thing perfected don't you. Don't forget who you really are Dean Winchester." She teased with a light chuckle.

 _"Oh shut up. It's part of the job okay."_ Dean returned, defending himself, though Rory knew he actually enjoyed using aliases, as did she.

It was nice pretending to be someone outside the hunting life every once in awhile.

 _Impossible,_ Rory thought with a playful roll of her eyes.

She paused for a moment, cancelling her attempt to speak when she heard the faint beeping noise coming from Dean's end.

"Are you scanning for spirits right now? I hear your EMF." She squinted.

 _"No, I'm in the car headed towards the-...what the hell?"_ He replied, trailing off when the beeping grew more intense.

"Then why's it beeping? Dean?" She called out, worry hovering over her.

 _"Hold on."_ He replied, voice a little strained, and she did as told, the suspense gripping her tight.

She tapped her fingers impatiently against the steering wheel, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"Well-where are you?" She asked once all the shuffling had calmed down, no longer able to wait for a response from him.

 _"I'm outside of...an orchard?"_ She could hear the confusion in his voice, which worried her.

"That's it? Odd."

 _"I'm gonna check it out."_ She heard Dean start to move again, and the cranking sound that only the Impala was able to produce.

"Dean no-no-no wait. Wait for me, I'm only a few hours away!" She tried to stop him.

 _"Where are you?"_ He asked.

"I-80." She replied simply, mentally calculating the amount of time it would take for her to reach Dean.

 _"Where specifically?"_ She could hear the eye roll in his voice.

"..Iowa, but I can easily shave off a couple hours." Rory winced knowing her answer would screw her over.

 _"I'll let you know how it goes."_

"Dean don't-you don't even know what you're up against yet!"

 _"It's not my first hunt Rory. I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. Call you when I get something."_ He replied, not giving her the chance to reply. She dropped her phone back into the cup holder and looked around her in utter disbelief.

"Dammit."

 _Seriously, how much more alike can these Winchesters be?_ She thought, exasperated.

Her foot pressed down harder on the gas pedal.

* * *

 **A Few Hours Later**

"So, you make nice with that strange woman from the side of the road yet?" She was late. Really late, and for her, that wasn't something that happened often if at all.

 _Stupid construction_ , she thought as she punched it down the interstate. She'd just passed the sign that read **'Burkitsville 3** ' indicating that she wasn't much further.

 _"Her name's Meg, and yes."_

"Mm, I like Strange Woman From the Side of the Road better. More character." Rory quirked with her usually humor, earning a chuckle from Sam in return.

He'd thankfully called like he said he would to check in and let her know that he was still breathing. She couldn't help but feel the relief roll off her shoulders.

 _"Weirdo. We're just waitin' for the next train to come in."_

"Sounds exciting." Rory mused, secretly loving the fact that he didn't seem to be enjoying himself on his journey alone. Served him right for leaving her and Dean to deal with this job alone, for leaving them period.

 _"So exciting."_ Sam chortled lamely.

"Y'know, all you have to do is say the word and I'll turn this baby around." She hinted.

 _"Nah. I'm alright."_ He spoke, but Rory picked up on the uncertainty in his tone.

 _"I uh, I spoke to Dean a little before I called you."_

"What's he saying? I tried to get a hold of him but no answer." She frowned slightly. Dean had been keeping her updated up until a certain point in time, filling her in on what they were hunting. A pagan god, an ugly one at that. She couldn't wait to be rid of the sucker.

But a feeling in her gut told her something was wrong.

"I'm worried."

 _"Uh well last I heard he said he was headed for the community college to speak with a professor so that he wouldn't have to do any research."_

"Yeah, that's the last thing he told me too. Through text." She pouted, anxious to get to Dean already.

 _"Well I'm sure he's okay. You'd better hurry though, just in case. You know Dean."_ Sam told her.

"Damn right I do. That's why I'm worried." She sighed, shifting gears as she sped throughout the town. Looking around she noticed the weird vibe that Dean had told her about. Besides the lovely scenery and the calm the greenery brought to her soul on the way into town, there wasn't much else to think of Burkitsville.

Things were definitely off, and quiet. Too quiet, but relief immediately permeated throughout her entire body the moment she laid eyes on the Impala, parked on the side of the road just in front of the large, worn community college.

 _Thank God,_ she thought, visibly relaxing.

"Alright Sammy. I've gotta let you go, I'm pulling up to the college now and I think I found Dean. Maybe I can head in there and enroll in some law program huh? Be like my brother when I grow up?" She teased knowing it would annoy the younger Winchester.

 _"Shut up, jerk."_

"Miss you." She spoke fondly, holding the soft smile on her lips as she held the phone to her ear.

 _"...Miss you too Rore. Bye."_ She hung up, and released a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Out of the passenger window she could see a sheriff's patrol car parked just around the bend of the street and squinted for a moment before her face dropped.

A cop and Dean in the same vicinity was never a good thing.

"Told you to wait for me..." She muttered sourly under her breath as she reached into the backseat to grab one of her glocks, along with a pocket knife.

Just for safe measure.

"Now I gotta save your ass." She continued to speak to herself as she exited the car and made her move towards the building.

* * *

"Uh, hi. I was hoping maybe you could help me? I'm looking for a friend of mine, John. Tall, blonde, and handsome? I believe he would've been here maybe not too long ago?" She asked telling almost the whole truth as she came across the old man in his office. He was in the middle of cleaning off his desk, ridding it of a thick, brown book, titleless and large. It even looked too heavy for him to carry, but then again, Rory was sure that if she blew at him, he'd tip over like a bike with one wheel.

The man looked over his shoulder before turning his body completely to face the blonde beauty that had entered the room. He remained pleasant and unaware in the face as he greeted her with a look of acknowledgement.

"As a matter of fact, I have spoken to a young man that fits the description. Really into Norse God's that one." He chuckled, earning a look from Rory. She tried to remain unreadable on the outside, but inside she was cooking up a bunch of conspiracy theories as to what could've happened to Dean. Obviously the man before her was lying, and she may have walked into something completely blind.

All she knew then was that there was no way Dean left his baby on the side of the road, not after all he'd told her about this place. And by the look in the professor's eyes, he could've had something to do with his sudden disappearance.

"Though, I'm not sure where he would've gone now. You are?"

"Laura, Croft." She lied straight through her teeth, offering up the first name that entered her mind.

She prayed he knew nothing about modern day movies, or Tomb Raider in general.

"Ah, I apologize Ms. Croft. I can't help you. But you're more than welcome to use the phone to call if you'd like-"

"You know what? That's perfectly fine. I've got a cell. Besides, it wasn't too long ago I last heard from him so I'll just...keep looking. I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Think I'll give the local diner a try." She told the man, slowly backing out of his office and into the clear hall.

"Oh alright then. Pleasure to meet you. Have yourself a good day now."

"Thanks!" She was practically out the door by the time he'd bid her farewell, her phone out in hand, speed-dialing Dean on the way out.

She cursed when the call was sent straight to voicemail. Once she'd made it outdoors, she raced down the steps of the college towards the Impala, looking for any sign that Dean had been around it in the time she'd been inside, but nothing had changed. She pushed away from the window, looking around the quiet street, pausing when she noticed the sheriff's car missing. Her shoulders slumped while her face fell and the realization slapped her.

"Dammit Dean." She muttered, heading back to her car before anyone could notice her presence. For all she knew, that professor was plotting her disappearance right then and there.

She needed to find the sheriff, and then Dean. Quick.

* * *

Rory squinted as she pulled up around the bend of some random street in town. It was hard to see through all the rain, but she was still able to notice the group of adults standing on the sidewalk conversing. They were old in age, probably not much younger than the professor she'd met just a while ago, and all held black umbrellas over their heads for protection from the rain.

"Man, this whole place is sketchy." She spoke to herself as she parked up around a corner where they wouldn't see her, though she doubted they would notice.

Whatever they were talking about, seemed to have all of their attention. She probably could've commit murder and gotten away with it and they wouldn't have noticed.

She pursed her lips, shutting off the car and grabbing her phone once she spotted exactly who she was looking for. The dirty blonde middle-aged man wore his uniform proudly it seemed. She could see it poking out from underneath his black coat. She'd passed his car a little ways up the road, but saw no sign of Dean, which only pissed her off more.

"Bingo." She smirked, before getting out of the car and walking near the group so she could eavesdrop better.

It was probably careless of her to make her case so obvious, and walk into trouble without a plan, but she had no other choice. There was no telling where Dean was, and if she didn't find him soon, he'd be on every milk carton in town.

She had to prevent that in any way she could, but not before sending Sam a quick text.

 _"Harley, please."_

 _"We all close our doors. Look the other way. Pretend we can't hear the screams. But this is different, this—this is murder."_

 _"It's angry with us. Already the trees are beginning to die. Tonight's the seventh night of the cycle. Our last chance."_

 _"If the boy has to die, the boy has to die. But why does it have to be her?"_

Rory froze in her path, and swiftly spun around and walked back to her car, the shock sitting comfortably on her face as her brain soaked up all of what her ear had just heard.

 _Dying trees? Seventh night of the cycle...who the hell is her?!_ She thought practically ripping open her car door to get in and drive off.

She couldn't approach. She had to think of another way, regardless of time. She had no choice. They hadn't sacrificed Dean yet, or the 'girl'. There was still hope. She could still save everyone. She just had to-

"Whoever she is, I'll just have to find her first." She said shifting gears and peeling off down the road, not caring to be subtle about her presence any longer.

* * *

"Dammit!" Rory slammed her hands down palms downcast onto the wheel when she pulled up in front of the gas station where she witnessed the old couple of adults-assumingly married-she'd recognized from earlier, had been dragging her out of kicking and screaming. She was too late, having spent too much time being lost, and lacking information on who the mystery 'girl' the sketchy group of adult were talking about earlier. She heard her screaming the words 'aunt Macy' and 'uncle Harley' the entire time.

"Dammit." She spat, angry with herself as she watched them shove her into the backseat against her will with her hands tied at the wrists.

Rory grimaced, disgusted with the people before her. not understanding how they could do such a thing to their own family.

Pull it together Rore, you can still win this. She told herself mentally, taking in a deep breath to remain calm.

"Okay..think think think." She whispered, tapping the wheel.

"Sam." She thought aloud as an idea lit itself in her brain.

She reached for phone and called him quickly, but came up short when the call went to voicemail.

"DAMMIT!" She yelled, before roughly placing the car in drive and stepping on the gas, gaining on the car that held the girl hostage.

She knew what she had to do.

* * *

 _"... For the common good."_

Rory heard as she hid discreetly behind one of the apple trees in the orchard. Not too far off from where she'd been hiding, she'd seen the cellar where the group of townspeople forced the girl into. She would give her life to bet that Dean was also in there, and felt her blood boil. If it wasn't for all the nature surrounding her, she was sure she would've used her gun at that point.

She rested her head back against the trunk of the tree, taking a deep breath and allowing herself to be bathed in the calm energy surrounding her being before she peeled away and stepped out from behind it, gun cocked, loaded and pointed at the group just as they finished locking the cellar.

"Hands up." She kept her voice leveled, and was surprised at how well she was able to given her rage.

Everyone jumped around at the sound of her voice, the sheriff skillfully pulled his gun from his holster and aimed it at Rory. She glanced at him, offering a blank look, though she was impressed with his reflexes.

"Who are you?" Asked uncle Harley. Rory swallowed down the urge to throw up at the sight of them all.

"Step away from the cellar. Now." She ordered as she made her way closer, step by step.

"You don't know what you're doing-"

"And you do? Feeding innocent people to a scarecrow? Your own family? You people are sick." She spat, earning partial looks of shame from some while others remained set in their determination to keep the town alive.

"Toss me the key to the cellar. Or I'll blow your head off your neck."

"I don't think you're in any position to give orders lady-"

"Do you think I'm joking? I said toss 'em now!" She yelled, the calm sweeping off her shoulders for the moment before blanketing her soul again.

The sheriff finally did as told, hesitantly tossing the keys to the cellar onto the ground, right in between their group and Rory.

She watched them carefully for a moment, analyzing them for all they were made to be, and slowly bent down to grab the keys. She'd only taken her eyes off them for a moment before she was tackled to the ground by the sheriff, his two hundred pound body weight crushing her underneath him as she struggled to get him off.

Using her combative skills she relaxed long enough to gain clarity, and like used what she knew to her advantage, using her knee she drove it up and into the enemy's groin. He howled on impact, stiffening and keeling over enough for Rory to slip out from underneath him, grab the key, and gain her balance once more as she quickly pushed herself up onto two feet. She fixed her stance, readying for another battle, counting heads and frowning when she only counted three.

She straightened, looking around before a heavy blow to the back of her head knocked her vision way out of focus, so bad she'd collapsed onto her knees, her denim material soaking up the wet dirt on the ground. She slumped over, but before she could hit the ground, arms gripped hers tight and pulled her up and began dragging her towards the cellar. Her vision danced while the spot in the back of her head pulsated.

"Aghhh." She groaned, shaking off the lightness in her head. That's when a flash of an unknown image sped across her brain. She tensed, blinking her eyes for a long moment.

There was no way she was going to allow another concussion to happen. She was able to snap her vision in place and shake the feeling of throwing up just in time to see that she was being held at the edge of the staircase that led down into the cellar, and Dean.

"Aurora?! You son of a bitch-Rory!" The sheriff spun her around forcefully, gripping her arms bruinsingly hard.

"This'll teach you to mind your own business." He hissed before shoving her backward.

"Hey!-"

"UNGH!" She cried out the moment her back was met with the hard surface beneath her. The wind had been knocked out of her, making it difficult to breath and causing her to cough. Her head spun again as the disorientation circled her, but she took deep breaths to help ignore the pain and keep consciousness.

"Hey. Rore. Angel?...You alright? Talk to me baby. You okay?" She could hear his voice as clear as day, and could feel the warmth of his body as if he were hovering over her. Slowly she opened her eyes to look him in his, finding him exactly how she'd predicted, kneeling over her while hovering his hands over her as if he were scared he'd hurt her worse.

Thankfully, she wasn't as hurt as he thought.

She picked up her head from the ground and then used her elbows to help hold her up. Dean moved so that she could have space to breathe. It was enough that they were cooped up in a box with limited air supply. He didn't want to be the reason why she had none. Rory gazed at Dean, before acknowledging the other presence in the box, the girl.

"...Nice people." She strained, wincing as she leaned all of her weight onto one side of her body.

Thinking about nothing other than how screwed they were.


	25. Scarecrow Pt III

**Hours Later**

Dean wouldn't let up on the cellar door. Banging and kicking and punching at it, he felt himself spent and regretful for having wasted so much energy. Rory grew defeated just watching him.

"I don't understand. They're gonna kill us?" Asked Emily, the fear dripping from her voice.

"Sacrifice us. Which is, I don't know, classier, I guess?" Dean answered giving the door a rest, going over to her.

"You really didn't know anything about this, did you?" Rory squinted at Dean's question, paying Emily a curious look. Staring at her as if she were trying to read her so for the truth.

"About what? The scarecrow god? I can't believe this." Emily panicked, leaving the hunters no choice but to believe she had nothing to do with this situation.

"Well, you better start believing, cause we're gonna need your help." Said Dean.

"Okay." She agreed, earning a nod from Rory. She fixed herself to stand straight against the old cellar shelves behind her.

"We're gonna need to destroy that scarecrow." Spoke the woman hunter, deliver a glance to her companions, dusting off the bottoms of her denim.

"Right, but we gotta find the tree." Dean added, looking her way, giving her a once over to make sure she was okay having witness the hard hit to the back she'd endured after being tossed from the top of the steps.

"What tree?" Emily asked.

"Maybe you can help us with that. It would be really old. The locals would treat it with a lot of respect, you know, like it was sacred." Dean explained to Emily, tearing eyes off of the Singer to glance her way.

She wore a thoughtful look.

"There was this one apple tree. The immigrants brought it over with them. They call it the First Tree." Emily told them.

Rory glanced at Dean, hoping they weren't thinking the same thing.

She didn't want to have to destroy a tree, or anything nature related for that matter. Ever.

"Is it in the orchard?" Dean asked, earning a sigh from her.

"Yeah, but I don't know where." Said Emily.

Just then the cellar door weezed open, revealing the four elders. Both Rory and Dean felt their blood begin to curl at the sight of them.

"Oh. Great." Rory's eyes rolled to the back of her skull before steadying her sight on the sheriff. Anger sparked her soul as she started forward.

"And **you** , I'm gonna kick your ass." She spoke viscously, but stopped dead in her tracks once he's pulled his gun on her. Dean was quick to step in front, his back brushing against Rory's front as she continued to glower at them.

"Make another move and I nick you." The sheriff threatened.

"I dare you." Dean growled dangerously. The sheriff cocked his gun fearlessly, and Rory could feel Dean's back tense slightly.

"Look you have two women now just let Emily go." She tried to reason with the psychopaths, her hand gripping the leather material of Dean's jacket.

"We can't. She's too much of a risk." Answered Stacy.

"What?! No!-"

"We don't trust that you'd keep quiet about this." Her uncle answered. Rory read him silently. To her it seemed he was the only one truly affected by the sacrifice of his family, or anyone for that matter. She'd heard the guilt in his voice earlier when she'd been eavesdropping, and she could hear it then, loud and clear.

"You've always been too good of a girl." Stacy spoke, gaining Rory's attention. Her eyes read differently from her husbands. Hers were cold, and void of any care. She was doing what she had to do.

"No! I wouldn't-"

"It's time." Stacy spoke, cutting off her niece's pleas. Dean shared a nervous look with the women, backing up with his arms out as if to shield them from any harm that Rory knew was to come regardless.

"Please! Don't do this!"

* * *

They tied them tightly to two trees adjacent to each other with their arms positioned over their head, making their escape next to impossible. Emily with Rory, while Dean sat alone.

Rory couldn't help but notice the irony of this situation. She was literally about to die by what she was starting to believe she stood for; nature.

"How many people have you killed, Sheriff? How much blood is on your hands?" Dean asked.

"We don't kill them." Answered the sheriff.

"No, but you sure cover up after. I mean, how many cars have you hidden, clothes have you buried?" Dean tried desperately to get them to see the error of their ways.

"This is blood you'll never wash away." Rory spoke up, more calmly than she wanted. She couldn't help the wave of serenity that washed over her. Knowing it had everything to do with the earthly creation surrounding her.

It was as though she were a slave to the feeling.

"Uncle Harley, please." Emily cried once more, begging her uncle to see reason.

Rory retreated to the inside of her mind trying to think of a plan.

"I am so sorry, Em. I wish it wasn't you." Harley mourned.

"Try to understand. It's our responsibility. You just know too much. You've left us no choice." Stacy spoke, crocodile tears streaming down her rosy cheeks.

Dean rolled his eyes.

"That doesn't justify shit lady." Rory chimed in easily, feeding her an unreadable look. Stacy glared daggers at her in return.

"I'm your family." Emily bawled.

"Sweetheart, that's what sacrifice means. Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one." Stacy finished with before the four elders began to walk away.

Rory scoffed in utter disgust.

"I hope your apple pie is freakin' **worth** it!" Dean yelled after them, rage thickening his tone.

It grew quiet as they sat alone and open to danger. Rory had no choice but to acknowledge the thoughts racing through her head. She'd been weighing out plenty of options in her mind, ones that had to do with their escape, some with Dean, and some with her life in general. She had to, in case this was in fact her last day on earth.

Though she did her best to remain optimistic, taking deep breaths, allowing the smell of pine and dew to enter her system.

"..So, what's the plan?" Asked Emily.

"I'm gonna need a minute." Rory answered, looking to her left at Dean.

"...I'm workin' on it." He followed soon after.

* * *

Hours had fled by, and Aurora had to admit that they were probably the longest hours of her life.

"You don't have a plan, do you?" Asked Emily, hope slipping from her voice as she spoke to the hunters. Rory didn't answer right away, but instead held eyes closed shut while focusing on the energy around her.

"I'm workin' on it. How bout you Rore? Any bright ideas?" She heard Dean reply.

"...one sec." She winced, voice low, straining her wrists and turning them so that they would flatten against the trunk of the withering tree. It hurt her heart, being able to feel it's life force slip slowly away. It were as if it were her own. Her lips pull down into a frown before she pursed them and set up to concentrate.

She had an idea.

Her eyes remained shut and the energy began to run down her arms, sourcing from the center of her chest producing a tender burn. Just like every other time, she felt the energy tingle at her fingertips as it left her, and seeped deep into the root of the tree literally causing it to branch out with new life.

"Oh my god..." Emily began to freak as the earth beneath her began to rise with a slight tremor. She shifted, fear rising in her heart as she struggled to look around her.

"Rory?!" She called out to the absent minded hunter.

"Emily? What is it? What's going on? Rore?...Aurora?!" When no answer came from her, Dean began to panic, hearing the crackling of branches moving against each other in the background. He turned his neck as best he could to try and get a better look at the women.

"The tree it's-it-"

The loud snap of a branch and a gasp was heard, and Rory immediately dropped her arms to her side when the rope loosened, pulling out of her trance as the energy rushed out of her causing her to slump onto the ground by the root of the tree.

"Dean! She's free! Rory's free!" Emily yelled with shock and disbelief.

"What? How? Angel, talk to me-"

"I'm okay. I'm fine!" She forced out, chest heaving as she pulled in as much air as she could before pushing herself up onto her feet and taking a deep breath as she dust herself off, feeling the energy flow back into her system, starting from her toes.

"It was me-I was...I was just working my magic. Woo!" She exhaled, pulling her lips up into a grin, beaming from the eyes while others gawked at her.

"I'm getting better at that." She said to Dean, feeling proud of herself while moving to Emily to untie her.

"H-how did you-...who-"

"It's alright Emily. I have a plan." Rory spoke, resting a hand on the girls shoulder, emitting a calm to rest over her heart. Emily didn't say a word, only continued to gawk and nod.

"Go untie Dean." Rory told her while looking around and through the dark night. Emily wasted no time and ran over to Dean, dropping to her knees to free him.

"Rory's got a plan." She told him.

"Great. Can you see?" He asked her.

"What?" Emily returned, confused, finding it terribly hard to undo a knot in the rope.

"Is he moving yet?" Dean spoke.

"I can't see." Emily answered.

Rory froze at the sound of twigs and leaves cracking in the near distance. Her eyes flickered to the left, then right, then straight ahead again before she slowly stepped back towards her group. She was able to catch sight of the shadow moving near the trees.

"Emily, you gotta hurry up."

"Oh my God." Emily panicked. Rory readied herself for the intruder as it moved closer, while Dean tried his best to help untie himself.

Rory felt her heart implode the moment she went to attack and found none other than-

"Oh my God!" Emily gasped in fright.

"Shit! Sam you scared the hell outta me man!" Rory bent to rest her hands on her knees.

"Rory? Dean?" Sam spoke as he poked out from behind the trees revealing himself.

"Oh! Oh, I take everything back I said. I'm so happy to see you." Dean spoke relieved and overjoyed.

"Come on." Sam went over to finish help untying his brother, whilst Aurora and Emily kept a lookout.

"How'd you get here?" Asked Dean, sparking interest in Rory as well.

She sent him a text telling him to get his ass over to Burkitsville as fast as he could, but wasn't sure at all whether he'd make it, or even want to since he was busy with his own quest.

"I, uh—I stole a car." Sam replied earning a chuckle from the blonde hunter, though the smirk was wiped right off her face when she heard another crack in the distance.

Her eyes fled to the nearby post where the scarecrow had last been seen, only to find it empty.

"You're kidding me.." She uttered, only gaining the attention of Emily.

"Haha! That's my boy! And keep an eye on that scarecrow. He could come alive any minute."

Dean informed.

"What scarecrow?" Said Sam.

"Uh...guys?" Dean stood up upon Aurora's call, and saw the empty scarecrow post.

He, Sam and Rory all exchange a nervous look.

"We need to move. Like now." She spoke calmly, stepping away and grabbing Emily's arm as she moved.

Pretty soon everyone followed suit, and turned to run.

"Alright, now, this sacred tree you're talking about—"

"It's the source of its power." Dean panted, heavy breathing filled the silence in between their pursuit to find a way out of the orchard with their lives intact. Rory led the way with everyone close behind.

"So let's find it and burn it." Replied Sam, causing Rory to nearly trip over the sentence that left Sam's lips.

"No!" She exclaimed looking over her shoulder at the youngest Winchester, earning a look of confusion from him. Dean threw her a look himself, but brushed off her reaction, thinking she was probably right. There was no time for that now, not while they were being hunted.

They were unmanned.

"Nah, in the morning. Let's just shag ass before Leather Face catches up." He said, moving up to lead the group in a light run.

The four of them had managed to finally reach a clearing, but were stopped in their tracks at the sight of the townspeople. townspeople

"This way." Dean said ready to head in a different direction, but stopped once they turned and found that they were being blocked in all directions.

"Gimme a break." Rory breathed squinting as the flashlights blinded her momentarily.

 _These psychos turned the whole town against us!_ She thought.

"Please. Let us go." Emily begged.

"It'll be over quickly, I promise." Harley answered, desperate to save his town.

"Please." Emily tried again.

"Emily, you have to let him take you. You have to—" Rory gasped as the scarecrow appeared behind the elderly man, shoving it's sickle through Harley's stomach. The blood splattered out in front of him as his face contorted into one of shock and pain.

Emily and Stacy let loose a bloodcurdling scream right before the scarecrow could hold Stacy around the neck from behind capturing her too.

Emily turned into Dean's arms while Rory witnessed with wide eyes as the creature stuck sickeningly pulled it's sickle out of Harley's chest cavity and plunged it into his foot and dragged him as well as Emily's aunt away to their deaths.

They watched as the rest of the townspeople, sheriff included ran off in fright towards safety.

"Come on, let's go." Dean ordered, with Emily tucked under his arm as they ran. Rory stuck by Sam's side as they led the way, keeping up with his pace as best she could. The noise behind them caused them all to stop and turn around, but the scarecrow and its victims had disappeared.

"...Let's get outta here, before it comes back."

* * *

"I'll stay back. I can't-...I'll wait here." Rory spoke up. The whole morning she'd been on edge, wanting nothing more than to avoid the inevitable.

Burning that tree. She'd thought about it all night, her spirit wavered at the thought of murdering that tree.

"Okay." Dean glanced at her, as did Sam and Emily, question in all of their gazes. He then looked to Sam, offering him a nod telling him he'd talk to her. Sam took his gesture and led the way with Emily in close second, leaving the two former lovers alone for a moment.

"Hey." He called for her attention softly. Rory met his jade green hues.

"This uh...have something to do with your uh..?" Dean wasn't sure what to call her abilities yet, as miraculous yet frightening as they were.

"...Yeah." Rory answered shortly, diverting her gaze to her hands as she played nervously with her fingers, leaning against the door of her Mustang. She almost felt ashamed of herself for backing out of a simple torch job, but her soul wouldn't allow it.

It was as if it had gone against her entire nature.

"Okay. We'll try and hurry once we find it." He said offering her a look of understanding, reaching up to touch her arm gently.

Rory let the corner of her lip twitch up, wanting to smile but the sadness had her in a vice grip.

"...thanks." She spoke earning a wink from him in return.

She watched as Dean walked off, and in the far distance in front of him where Sam and Emily continued on, she could see the red bottle of gasoline he held.

She took in a deep breath, looking around her at all of God's creation.

 _All of this is gonna die._.she thought as complete and utter sadness tackled her from behind nearly stealing her breath.

The lone tear slipped mutely down her cheek. She furrowed her brows feeling the crisp morning air kiss the skin on her cheek leaving a cool behind, and reached up to wipe at the tear.

* * *

"At the bus stop, the gang watched as Emily loaded herself and every valuable she owned onto the first bus to Boston. Turning to glance at them one last time she smiled and waved, the gratefulness beaming in her eyes, though Rory could point out her sadness.

She'd lost her family, and her town. That would take a while to get over.

Dean waved back as she looked out of the window and headed to her seat.

Rory exhaled softly, watching the bus start off out of the lot before landing her gaze on Sam. She smiled sweetly for him. Sam gave a knowing smile back.

"Now you can say it–"

"Another one bites the dust!" Rory sang, earning hearty chuckles from the boys as they turned to head back to their cars

"Think she's gonna be alright?" Sam asked after the laughter died down.

"I hope so." Dean answered, speaking Rory's mind for her.

"And the rest of the townspeople, they'll just get away with it?"

"Remind me to slash the sheriffs tires on the way outta town." Rory spoke holding a bitterness in her tone. Sam smirked down at her, believing entirely that she'd actually follow through on what seemed to be a promise she'd made to herself.

"Well, what'll happen to the town will have to be punishment enough." Dean answered.

"Better be." Rory sighed.

"...So, can I drop you off somewhere?" Dean asked his brother.

Rory watched in anticipation, waiting for his answer.

She prayed he'd stay, never wanting Sam out of her sight again. It just wasn't the same without him. The dynamic was off and the worry that sat on her heart was too much and way worse than the first time he'd parted from his family.

"No, I think you're stuck with me." She visibly relaxed as she made it around the drivers side of her car.

"What made you change your mind?" Rory rolled her eyes, wishing Dean would quit concealing his true feelings.

"I didn't. I still wanna find Dad. And you're still a pain in the ass." Sam said, stubbornly. Dean nodded in understanding as they came to a stop, facing one another.

"But, Jess and Mom—they're both gone. Dad is God knows where. You, and me, and Rory...We're all that's left. So, if we're gonna see this through, we're gonna do it together." Spoke Sam.

"I couldn't have said that better myself." Rory teased, running her index finger down her cheek earning an eye roll from Sam.

"Hold me, Sam. That was beautiful." Said Dean, resting a hand on his brothers shoulder before he could sway it away. The group shared a moment of laughter.

"You two should be kissing my ass, you were dead meat-"

"Actually I managed to untangle myself without your help, thank you." Rory chimed.

"Yeah, right. I had a plan, I'd have gotten out. Besides, Rory was about to save the day before you came along.

"Right." Sam smiled back at Rory who made to enter her car after tossing a childish grin.

"Ey." Rory called to the young Winchester, her tone and gaze soft and light. He turned to look back at her.

" **Thank** you." She told him, not sure if he understood just how much it made her happy to have him around. He'd given her back her chance to take care of him and his brother, together.

"You're welcome." He returned just as sweet.

They smile for each other, glad to have made it out of yet another adventure.


	26. Sweet Dreams & Reveries

**Hello my lovelies! Hope we're all doing well :) I know it's been a couple days since the last add. I've just been trying to balance finals and work and writing. I'm getting the hang of it, and promise that once I master it, I'll be shooting out a lot more adds! You all deserve it for all the love you've been giving me. I really appreciate you all seriously. There are no words...except..obviously..these ones...anyway you get what I mean!**

 **As I've said before! This story is rated M for a reason, pretty soon we're going to be getting a little raunchy! It'll be tasteful, I promise. If that sort of thing even really exists. Guess we'll find out, cause that's what I'm aiming for :). BUT FOR NOW...Here's another add. We've got some Rory and Dean fluff goin' on, so yeah. Dive in!**

 **Anywho! Onwards with the storytelling! Hope you all enjoy. You know what to do!**

 **LEAVE YOUR LOVE! REVIEW! LEAVE YOUR LOVE! REVIEW!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural or it's characters. I certainly do wish I did though :( Fortunately I do own my OC Rory!**

* * *

 **April 15th 2006**

 _Rory woke slow and at peace. Her vision was clean as if she'd been awake the entire time. Her lids blinked easily and mute as her chest inflated with air._

 _She stared straight ahead at the empty space next to her. In her dream, he'd been there to occupy the spot. His large frame sprawled on his stomach whilst his soul lay entranced in a deep slumber. It was a beautiful dream, and had ended too soon._

 _She blinked long, and when her eyes had opened, there he was._

 _Breathtaking and tangible._

 _He slowly peeled open his lids revealing those emerald green hues she'd lost herself in time and time again, and gazed deeply into her eyes, adoration and something else she couldn't quite name in them._

 _She spread her lips into a loving curve of affection for him._

 _"Hi." She whispered keeping motionless._

 _"Hey Angel." Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the sound of her nickname._

 _"...Do you remember yet?"_

 _Her brows furrowed in confusion._

 _"Wh-...what do you mean?" Dean offered a look of sympathy. reached out to stroke away the loose gold tress that had slipped just over her eye and tickled her nose. His fingers paused behind her ear as he analyzed every inch of her face._

 _"...You gotta try." His tender voice, softer than usual cracked at the end of his sentence._

 _She frowned, her lips pulling down at the corners._

 _"...Why?" She asked softly, looking deep into his emerald hues, hypnotized by his entirety._

 _Moments passed, quiet and deafening, and still he hadn't answered. His smile never for a moment let up, and somewhere in those eyes, she was able to find her answer._

 _Like always._

 _"...How?"_

 _Dean gave a light gaze, and easily shifted his body so that he could look to the motel room door as if he'd heard a knock or a sound coming from that direction._

 _Rory followed his gaze._

* * *

She shot straight up out of her sleep. Her posture proper and pep with energy and her eyes wide open with the shock. Quick, she whipped her neck to the left, burning a hole through the empty side of her lumpy, uncomfortable motel bed. She knitted her brows, wondering why she couldn't look away, why she was so planted in her position.

She could feel the hairs on her arms raise.

And then a knock at the door snapped her out of her reverie.

She reached under her pillow swiftly for her self entitled pistol before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. As her feet padded against the cold floor she immediately wished she'd packed more socks before leaving home, or more outfits in general. She was running out of clean laundry.

 _"Put the gun away its me."_ She heard from the other side of the door causing her to expel the breath she was unaware of ever holding.

Swinging open the door, she came to reveal none other than Dean, boyish and all, clad in a fitted dark grey crew neck t-shirt and slack pyjama pants. His hair looked unkempt, resting messily on top of his head.

He seemed...preoccupied. Rory tilted a brow.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, leaning against the frame of the door with one arm resting slack by her side as the weight from her pistol weighed it down. Dean acknowledged it with an eye roll before meeting her questioning gaze.

"Uh no I uh, I actually can I just-...thought I'd take a break and come check up on you." He spoke not really sure of how to answer. It wasn't that he couldn't sleep. He had been fast asleep, deeply even, until he's just...woken up without reason and out of nowhere. He'd laid there for a moment in his bed, staring up at the ceiling with a puzzled expression, not at all able to recall the dream he'd had before coming to. And he couldn't, no matter how long he laid there, find it in him to fall back asleep. He figured it was because of where he was, the place he'd had no choice but to revisit time and time again.

"You took a break from sleep?" Rory interrogated, confused and finding his answer somewhat hard to accept.

"You gonna let me in or what? It's chilly out here." He grouched, voice thick with sleep as he barged past her and into her room. Rory scoffed, shutting the door behind her.

"Come right in why don't ya." She spoke, voice heavy with sarcasm.

"You got any coffee?" He asked making his way over to the kitchenette in search of a complimentary coffee station.

Rory clicked on the safety and rested her gun on the table before crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto one foot as she studied the Winchester.

"Help yourself. Looks like you can use some." She watched him carefully as he paced fixing himself a hot beverage.

He never said a word, just worked in silence, which struck her as odd, and figured something had to be bothering him.

"What's going on?" She asked him.

"I'm good. What's up with you, why are you up?" He asked after pouring a full cup of black coffee for himself and turned to lean his back against the kitchenette counter.

Rory shrugged.

"Just am..." She answered running a hand down her arm.

The silence was thick and hard to claw through , yet it offered a source of comfort to the hunters just as it always did.

"...You still having trouble with your dreams?" He asked, a squint in his left eye while he spoke with curiosity. There was something brewing in him, something that was troubling him, a thought on his mind maybe, but Rory couldn't find it in her to pick at it, not sure if that was something she wanted to open up right then.

"Why do you ask?" Her brow tipped up in question, thinking of how random it was and how long it had been since he'd asked about her dreams. It definitely struck her as odd, given John had only called a few days ago demanding that she remember them.

"Just curious. Making conversation, you haven't really talked about them lately. And we're both up with nothing to do but talk so..." Dean shrugged, pushing off the counter to saunter over to her while holding his cup of hot coffee cautiously in his left hand. He stopped with a only a couple of feet between them while Rory kept tabs on every move he made.

"If it'll help pass the time, then yeah. Still having trouble." Rory sighed, passing a hand through her hair.

"I was thinking of maybe calling up Missouri. See if she could tell me what to do to get me to remember the damned things." The stress was evident in her tone, and Dean found himself feeling for her, not at all able to imagine what she must've been going through inside.

It was one thing for her to find out that she had special abilities to heal nature, but to add this onto her plate?

"I uh...I could probably help with that actually.." He cleared his throat, leaving his mind for a moment to pay close attention to her reaction. She seemed hesitant on accepting his help at first, but it seemed after a moment or two of contemplating the thought, she gave in.

Dean released a breath, happy that he wouldn't have to fight her on allowing him to help her for once. He wanted to do whatever he could to help her. He wanted her to be okay.

"You know a way?" She quirked her brow causing Dean to reach behind his neck to scratch the non-existent itch.

"A while ago I may have done some research on how to remember your dreams online." Dean shrugged, trying to get her to think little of an action that was actually way bigger than he'd intended it to be to her. The uncontrollable heat rushed up and settled beneath the skin on his cheeks, giving Rory a full view.

The corners of her lips pulled up in a knowing smile.

"And by a while ago you mean?"She pressed, enjoying the squirming Dean in front of her.

"A while ago. Like a long time ago, like back when you first told me you couldn't remember them." He moved around, taking big gulp from his drink so as to have a distraction from the attention.

"Dean that was so long ago, I was like 19!" She chuckled in disbelief watching him as he avoided her eyes, sheer embarrassment on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She softened in tone, her shoulders slumping slightly as she shifted her weight and turned to face him better.

"Thought you'd tell me it was stupid or make fun of me for it." He admit with a wave of his hand, wanting nothing more than to brush off her teasing.

"...I wouldn't have turned you down." She told him keeping her tone light, earning a glance from him. She watched him expectantly, raising her brows slightly.

"Alright. I'll keep that in mind. So do you wanna know what I read or what?" He said, and just like that, the moment had faded.

Rory smirked and shook her head.

 _Typical Dean,_ she thought.

"Yeah. Couldn't hurt." She flapped her arms up and took a seat on the edge of her bed only to have Dean join her. The mattress dipped under his weight, causing her left side to brush and lean against his. The warmth from his body wrapped her up in it's arms while his Old Spice deodorant swarmed her senses causing her to lose focus for a moment before she shook it off.

"Alright, so I found a couple things online. A few sites with common remedies I thought may actually be legit." He spoke animatedly with his hands paying her a look.

Rory nodded, listening entirely, while fighting back the urge to wrestle him onto his back and-

"So what do I do?" She asked waiting for him to finish what he started looking back at him with question splayed in her eyes.

Dean had lost himself, right there and then, in her eyes, and was unable to pull away.

Her beauty was too intense.

His mouth dropped open to spill words that wouldn't leave.

"... **Dean.** " He flinched and cleared his throat, removing his gaze that had absently traveled down to her mouth.

"So there are different ways, I figured you'd wanna try em all so I memorized them all."

"Okay well, what's the first one?"

"Okay you know how they say your dreams are an insight to your reality or your true feelings? It's said that with conscious belief, you can develop a better dream recall to the point where you can remember the details in those dreams as well." He explained. Rory nodded in understanding, clasping her hands together in her lap.

"Alright, conscious belief. Sounds simple enough. Let's test drive these theories. What's the first one?" She asked, shifting her weight on the bed ready to try whatever theories Dean had read about.

"Uh okay well for starters, we're gonna have to get you a journal. One that you can record all your dreams into, just in case you should ever forget them. Every morning when you wake up, all you'll have to do is jot down whatever's floating around in your head. That information will most likely be whatever you remember from your dream." Dean voiced, earning a slight grimace from the young blonde.

"Like John?"

"Pretty much." She groaned under her breath, looking to her sock clad feet.

"Great, that'll take time out of my day." Was her reply earning a soft chuckle from the Winchester.

"Hey, if you wanna remember something, you gotta do whatever it takes, Angel."

"Alright. You win. What else?"

"Relaxation and meditation." Dean clapped finishing.

Rory flickered her gaze unto his smiling face with a plain look on hers.

"...That's it?" She questioned, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"Hey that's all they'd give me. They say a calm and relaxed body and mind before bed helps to clear the mind, therefore making it easier to retain whatever dreams you dream that same night."

"Well that's next to impossible right now. I've got **way** too much shit swimming around up there." She sighed pointing to her temple in reference to her brain.

Dean smirked and reached out to push a few strays aside and tuck them securely behind her ear. Rory shrunk away feeling caught off guard while offering him a look.

He frowned and removed his fingers quickly.

"Uh-my bad. Force of habit." He apologized, eyeing his lap as if it were the most interesting thing in the world while mentally scolding himself.

"It's okay..sorry I didn't mean to look at you that way it's just...It's been a while since you-.."

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's okay."

"Okay." The silence was loud, and enough to fill the entire room with tension.

"So. Relaxation and mediation huh?" Rory scratched at her arm. Dean hummed in return

"Afraid so, Angelcake." He replied with a smirk. Rory sighed in frustration before throwing herself backwards onto the bed with her arms stretched out over her head and resting on the pillows.

"Sounds tedious." She breathed shutting her eyes closed. Dean turned and watched her with amusement before bending down to untie an remove his boots and moving to spread himself out along the bed next to her, but rested on his side with his elbow digging into the mattress while his cheek weighed onto the palm of his hand.

He watched her with ease, finding himself reveling in every dip and curve of her body.

The silence had shifted, into one that was filled with comfort and serenity. Rory found the heat radiating from Dean's body warming to her soul, and couldn't help but smile.

"What?" He asked, noticing the slow curve of her lips, smiling himself at the sight alone.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

Rory shook her head, moving her arms down to rest on her chest while her heart began to race in her chest.

Dean never pushed for an answer. He didn't need one for the moment. He was perfectly content with just watching her be.

"You have a staring problem." her lips spread wider, deepening her laugh lines as she chuckled softly.

"Shut up." He nudged her gently. Rory chose then to peel open her lids, allowing the ceiling to come into view before she slowly turned her face to the left to study him when an image flashed through the front of her mind.

Dean gave her his unwavering attention, dancing his gaze all along her face, noticing how she suddenly focused on an empty space in the air between their bodies.

Rory frowned, the images continuing to flicker one after another in her mind, like a slideshow, so quick that it began to play like a movie inside of her mind.

Dean narrowed his eyes into slits, watching her curiously. It was as if she were idle.

There, but not really present in the moment.

"...Angel?" He called her name softly, so not to frighten her.

 _"Hey Angel."_ She heard and saw Dean say in her head as the movie played on. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the sound of her nickname. She retreated entirely to the inside of her head, watching and waiting for it to be over when suddenly she was shaken back into her reality. A light gasp left her lips as she focused her gaze on the man in front of her, staring with questionable eyes.

"Sorry." She exhaled, blinking long and hard for a moment.

 _What the hell was that?_ She thought.

"You remember something yet?" Dean asked, wondering what the hell had just gone on.

Rory's brows furrowed in confusion, his words frighteningly similar to the ones he'd said inside her head.

"I-...wh-...what do you mean?" She asked, going along with her gut that told her to reenact everything over again. It was a feeling she couldn't shake that-

"You know, you gotta at least try."

That was what had escaped her mind before she woke.

She opened her eyes wide with shock.

"...Aurora." Dean frowned as he called out to her.

"You." She spoke after a moment, her tone calm and absent.

"Huh?" Dean knitted his brows in complete and utter confusion.

" **You** were what I was dreaming about before I woke up." She breathed, locking her gaze onto his.

"Y-...me?" Dean paused, registering her words.

"I dreamt this. **Us**. In bed just like this, I-...you..." She trailed off, shutting her eyes closed as she traveled back to the memory as it fluidly replayed itself over and over again.

"You asked me if I remembered, I asked what you meant and then...then you told me I had to try...and I asked how right before you looked to the door and-..." Her lids ripped open and she automatically she rose up to rest her weight on both her elbows while casting her sight to the door as if she were expecting a doppelganger of Dean to come knocking at any given moment.

He matched her movement, staring at the door with trepidation wondering what could be on the other side.

"I woke up...and **you** were at the door." She whispered in awe of herself.

Dean delivered a look of pure and utter disbelief. He blinked repeatedly as the words registered in his mind before he shook his head.

"..My brain hurts." He relaxed, leaning back onto his back and facing the ceiling. Rory sat up.

"You were at the door. I-I think my dream was probably trying to tell me that you were coming to help me." She spoke fast, trying tp piece together the very complicated puzzle that was her life in that moment.

"Help you..what remember your dreams?" He spoke, carrying a look mixed with shock and disbelief.

Rory met his gaze with piercing grey, icy blue eyes.

"Something like that, yeah." She answered.

"I-...so what are you saying you had a vision? Like Sam-"

"No. No I don't think it's like that at all to be honest I just...I-I-I don't know." She scurried to the edge of the bed, leaving Dean beyond confused while she began to pace around and pack her few belongings.

"Wait- what are you doing?"

"We have to go Dean. I have to go and visit Missouri." She said, throwing her gaze across the room at the old digital alarm clock that sat still on the nightstand next to Dean.

 **6:46AM.**

"If we leave now, we can get to her at a decent hour." She rushed, picking up her scattered laundry and tossing it carelessly into her duffel. Dean shot up from the bed to stand tall to his feet, hoping to get her to slow down and think things through before she could do anything drastic.

"Woah-woah. Rory. Slow down a sec." He started causing her to pause and spin around on the balls of her feet to face him with a look he wasn't too sure he appreciated.

"Why Dean?" She asked, not understanding why he was even thinking of fighting her on this.

She'd remembered a dream, making this her first ever to date. It was a strange feeling, one that left an odd tingling in her system. It was almost as though her spirit were truly awakening, and the feeling was thrilling and permeated throughout her entire body.

"Well for one, you still need to recover from that hit you took in the cellar-"

"Dean. Please. I've been through worse, you know that. I can take a hit. Now come on what's this really about?" She asked not even remembering that she had formed a rather disgustingly black and blue bruise on her back from landing on it when she'd been thrown into the cellar. She shifted her weight onto one foot while paying him a patient stare from across the room. There had to be a reason why he was trying to slow her down, and she couldn't imagine that it was ever to stop her from finally opening what felt like Pandora's box.

Dean watched her closely for a moment. His heart racing as he fought against the urge to speak his truth.

"...Why not just call her?" He said instead.

Rory thought over his suggestion for a minute before her shoulders slumped with realization.

 _Oh...right. I could do that._ She thought to herself.

"...right. That could work too." She voiced, feeling stupid, dropping her bag and running a hand down her face.

"Clearly you need more sleep." Dean said, shaking his head as he pulled his shirt over his head, leaving his upper body bare and wide open for her eyes to see.

Rory's jaw hit the floor. He'd been working out surely.

She cleared her throat catching herself before he could catch her.

"And you say I've got a staring problem." He spoke before plopping back first onto the bed and placed his arms behind his head, making himself comfortable as he eyed the ceiling before shutting his eyes.

She grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut with embarrassment.

 _Dammit!_

"Shut up. What are you doing? Get your own bed."

"Oh quit your crying and get over here. We've got a few more hours until we hit the road."

"Dean..." She sighed, dropping her shoulders, feeling the exhaustion slap her from behind causing her to move forward a couple of steps toward the bed.

He didn't answer her, and kept his eyes shut as he sought sleep.

"...I'm too tired to fight you on this. Just move over." She spoke, moving to the side of the bed where she slid under the covers while Dean lay on top of them.

Rory stretched an arm out to take the lamp off, welcoming darkness into her room. There was nothing but the moonlight glow streaming through the blinds to help illuminate the outline of their bodies as they lay together yet separate. Their chests rose and fell with every calm breath of air they inhaled. Rory found herself coaxed by the sound of Dean's breathing, while he sought for comfort in the warmth of her body heat.

His entire existence fought against the urge to scoop her up into him and protect her for the world outside of that room.

"...I sleep better when you're around." He admit, not sure where the revelation came from. He'd been thinking something completely different when he'd decided to speak.

Rory blinked, continuing to stare sightlessly into the darkness as Dean's words hovered above their heads.

Truth be told, she felt the same way. There was never a night when her soul never craved to have him near to hold her around the waist while tracing shapes on her bare skin, and whisper sweet nothings into her ear so that she could fall asleep.

She acknowledged the words like she knew she should've, accepting and appreciating them entirely before turning onto her side so that she could better face him.

There was no denying their chemistry, the connection was and would forever be unbreakable. There was a large part of her that believe Dean to be her soulmate. She quietly admired the moonlit glow the exposed skin of his upper body wore, and bravely she reached out a hand to rest on the peck of his chest.

Dean's eyes blinked open and adjusted to the darkness before he cast a strangled expression at her.

Rory was choking on her words, struggling to toss them out into the open for the universe to hear, for Dean to hear. She wanted him to know, but argued with herself over whether or not it was time yet.

"I-..." She stopped herself. Dean kept a meaningful look in his gaze, waiting patiently for her to say something, anything. He'd wait all night if he had to.

"...I'm glad the first dream I remembered was about you." She settled on, offering a sweet smirk.

Dean, exhaled softly, feeling the corner of his lip twitch up before he could shift his weight and turn over onto his side so that they could face each other.

Rory felt her heart race in her chest. His breath beat sweetly against the tip of her nose and against her cheeks. She was glad he wouldn't be able to see the blood that had rushed under her cheeks.

"Me too." He answered before moving to place a gentle peck against the cool skin on her forehead. Rory shut her heavy lidded eyes on impact, reveling in the feel of his lips on her skin.

"Get some sleep." Dean's voice lulled her, and suddenly, she found it too difficult to fight sleep.

 _"I love you, no matter who you are..."_ It took her almost instantly, and slowly she could feel her body grow heavy and limp while the faint voice of Dean coaxed her to sleep.

 _"You'll always be Angel to me...always be my Angel..."_

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1.** "Gold" - Chet Faker

 **2.** "Affection" - Cigarettes After Sex


	27. Jilted Truths

**Motel**

 **April 15th 2006**

 _Violent and viscous it stood tall on all fours, glaring daggers at her with piercing fiery gold eyes, they were hypnotizing. Rory couldn't look away. It was like a pull, every part of her was gravitating towards it. Every thought she could hear, every feeling, every beat of its heart, acted as her own._

 _She could feel the fierceness in its nature, and chose not to acknowledge it with fear, but with bravery instead. In the wind, it's mane blew softly and majestic. Rory had never seen anything so beautiful. It almost brought her to her knees. She could feel them wanting to buckle beneath her, and the moment it stepped forward she locked them into place, knowing that any sudden movements could trigger an attack from the creature if it felt threatened. It was a miracle it hadn't made an attempt already._

 _Slowly the lion approached Rory, and an odd feeling, one she wasn't expecting began to cloud over her. A calm. Serene and sweetly they eyed each other, and the feline came to a stop about a foot away. Rory smirked in fascination, but her lips soon pulled downward into a frown as pain began to bubble up and burn in the center of her chest, just under her flesh._

 _She cringed, not understanding what it was or what it meant and kept her gaze on her companion. In her mind she could hear it, calling to her, the connection between them strengthening as if it were binding them in every sense._

 _"Ariel…" Her mind rung out with a voice as calm as the air surrounding her. It was serene, and strong enough to cause the hairs on her arms to raise. Her brows furrowed slightly._

 _"How can you speak?" She found herself asking without the need to move her lips. Somehow they were stuck in a telepathic conversation. The lioness was still, the light breeze swaying passed her majestic mane to and fro like waves in an ocean._

 _"We speak. As one." It answered. Rory was rendered confused._

 _"I don't understand." She thought, and the beast took one step towards her, closing the gap and therefore intensifying the burning in her chest that she'd nearly forgot about having been so caught up in all that was happening._

 _"In time..."_

 _"Who are you? Why am I in pain?"_

 _"...Who are we? Ariel we must remember."_

 _"My name's Aurora." Her mouth turned downwards._

* * *

 _" **Aurora.**_ _"_

Aurora shot up from her slumber, her hand gripping her chest tightly. Her eyes ripped open only to find Dean on the other side of the room with a cup of fresh coffee in his hand. Her chest heaved up and down as her heart pounded against her rib cage. Weakly she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and doubled over, trying to nurse the pain.

Dean nearly dropped his coffee trying to set it down and rushed over to her, dropping to his knees in front of her as he checked her over.

"Hey. Hey-hey what is it? What hurts? What's going on?" He asked, reaching up to hold either side of her face, forcing her to look into his emerald green hues.

"What happened? Aurora-"

"A lion. A lion, spoke to me. Told me I have to remember who I am." She strained, her lips quivering whilst her face contorted into one of pain as she grit her teeth while the burning in her chest faded painfully slow into an intense sting. She found it was becoming easier to pull in more air as she breathed it in, and with that, found it easier to relax.

"What?" Dean asked, tangled up in all that was happening. Rory swallowed the bile that forced it's way up her throat and locked eyes with Dean.

"My dream. I remember it." She spoke, a light that Dean hadn't seen in a while, brightening her eyes.

He watched her closely for a moment, nodding in understanding before pushing himself up to stand and pace a couple of steps away from her, running a hand over his mouth.

Rory became puzzled, following him with her eyes as he moved.

"...Dean? Did you hear me? I-...I remember my dream, I...I think it's like, a permanent thing now y'know? Like I can remember them all if I-..." She closed her mouth into a thin line and allowed her face to fall the moment Dean turned to face her,

"...What's wrong? Why do you look pissed?" She asked, pushing herself to stand and crossed her arms over her face.

"How long have you been in touch with my dad?" His tone bitter while his eyes pooled with darkness. Rory's heart skipped in her chest.

 _...how the hell did he find out?!_ She thought, beginning to panic.

" **Don't** lie to me." Dean bit.

"I-..." She thought about it, lying, but knew she would only dig a deeper hole for herself. It was enough that she'd kept that information from the boys for so long, no matter how much it secretly ate away at her. Now she'd have to take responsibility for her actions.

It was her choice to keep that from them. This was on her.

"Since Illinois." Dean's blinked a couple of times, and dropped his face in shock as the rest of his body went slack with complete disbelief.

"Are you kiddin' me?" He dropped his tone down a couple octaves, keeping it calm and heavy with disappointment. Rory knew that whenever he used that tone, it meant he was pissed.

The shame began to crawl up her back, and squeezed her around her neck, forcing her to avoid his glare.

She nodded, dropping her gaze to her feet.

"Well what the hell did he tell you? And don't bother sparing any details this time." He was livid, furious that she'd kept it a secret for so long. It was so unlike her, and he liked to believe that Rory told him everything, and that he knew everything there was to know about her.

But to his surprise, he was wrong.

Rory knew she had to come clean. There was no telling how much damage she'd done by keeping this secret.

"Aurora." Dean warned, taking another daring step forward.

"He didn't say much! Just asked if I was alone-"

"Then what?" Dean piped. Rory sighed in distress, cursing John for ever asking that of her.

"Then he told me that I needed to remember my dreams, that I **needed** to. And he couldn't say much else. He didn't have much time, he still had to call you-"

"So he called you before he-..And wait a second how the hell does he know about your dreams? I thought you only told me and Sam about that?" Dean asked, ignoring the heat for a moment and blinking away the anger.

"I **did** only tell you and Sam! And I asked how he found out, but he would't tell me. He wouldn't tell me a lot of things." She rolled her eyes, knowing eventually this was gonna blow up in her face somehow.

"Okay, well what else did he say?" Dean interrogated, trying to keep a level head as best he could.

"Dean-"

"It's a miracle I'm still even finding it in me to keep a level head with you right now, so just tell me what I wanna know." He snapped, the anger blanketing his heart again. Rory swallowed, shrinking away from his glowering stare as he picked and chewed her up.

"He told me that if I wanna find out who I truly am, I needed to trust him and do what he said."

"..The hell is any of that supposed to mean? How the hell does he know?!"

"I don't know Dean okay! God you think I wanted to keep any of this from you guys?! He made me promise!"

"And suddenly a promise to my **father** is more important than the promise we made to each other to never keep secrets?!" He squinted in disbelief, closing the gap between them with careful slow steps forward.

"Of course not but-God I didn't know what else to do Dean! Okay?! I panicked! It was stupid and I know that but-"

"How the hell did you even find out he called?" She flapped her arms up in defeat, knowing that the situation was far from being mended for the moment. She couldn't fix what she'd broke, which was looking like his trust.

"Bobby called you this morning. Woke me up. I told him you'd call when you wake up, and when he hung up your call log opened. I saw the same California area coded number that dad called me on." He scoffed, offering up a bitter smirk.

Rory blinked long and hard while rubbing her forehead.

"Dean, I'm sorry-"

"Yeah I bet."

"I am!"

"You know I'm having some trouble believing that."

"That's not fair Dean!-"

"It wasn't fair that I had to find out the way I did either. But shit happens anyway right? There's nothing left to say. You kept something from me, something you know I would've wanted to know, and still didn't care to tell me about it. I mean God-does Sam even know?"

"...No." She murmured in shame.

He scoffed before making his way to the door. Rory felt her heart tighten in her chest.

"Dean..."

"You know what's funny? Is that I **know** you don't tell me everything. I know there's still things that I don't know, that I probably deserve to know.." He stopped, one hand on the knob while his body turned to the side to face her.

Rory stood in the center of the room, torn between her loyalties, wracking her brain for the right words to spill.

It scared the hell out of her to see how badly he'd reacted after only finding out that she'd kept a phone-call from him.

She couldn't imagine how he'd react once he found out about the miscarriage.

"Dean." She called out to him. Dean's shoulders slumped as he turned to leave but froze upon the sound of her voice.

He didn't bother to turn and face her again.

"...He told me he'd call again." She admit, wanting to get rid of all secrets having to do with his father.

John was the cause of too much damage with these boys already, and he wasn't even around. It boggled her mind.

"...pack your stuff. Sam found a case. We're leaving." Was all he bothered to say before slipping out the door and slamming it shut behind him. Rory watched his silhouette move on the other side of the curtains down the sidewalk to his room, where he'd most likely go and vent to Sam about their latest drama.

Which unfortunately had everything to do with her. She exhaled a shaky breath, walking over to the table where he'd left his coffee. The steam still rose from the meniscus. Her body shook with anger, towards John for ever calling her, towards Dean for not understanding where she was coming from, and towards whatever higher power had ever birthed her with these gifts.

"FUCK!" She gripped the cup tightly, staring void down into the cup before whipping it across the room with a roar that had erupted from her throat.

Her chest heaved, but with a different pain than she was used to. This one wasn't laced with a burn, but with hurt instead.

Rory knew John would call her again. He wasn't the kind of man to fall through on those kind of promises.

But she made a promise to herself, that whenever that time came.

She wouldn't answer.

* * *

 **Soundrack:**

 **1.** "Don't Wanna Fight" - Alabama Shakes


	28. Faith Pt I

"Dean, you can't just ignore me." Rory sighed, stepping to the side as Dean brushed by her with his things in hand , moving swiftly toward the Impala, wanting nothing more then to get out of town.

Ironically, they'd sought shelter in Iowa City, not too far away from the town Dean had ditched Rory in. He figured something bad would end up happening there again. Except this time, Rory had been the one to screw up.

He was just so bothered by her keeping quiet for so long.

"Oh I can't ?" He asked, tone dull and uninterested as he went on about his business.

Sam didn't take too long to join her outside. Rory was just as scared to be on the receiving end of his anger as she was Dean, especially since she knew how important it was to him to find his father. He'd already ditched them to go on his own journey to find him.

She sighed in defeat, casting her dishonorable gaze to the floor, the guilt nearly choking her.

"Sammy..." She kept her voice light as a feather, not able to look him in the eye.

"Why didn't you tell us Rore? You know how bad I've been trynna find dad." She found herself surprised at how different his tone was from Dean's. His was much more understanding, more like what she wished Dean's had sounded like.

Rory blinked and picked up her chin to look the towering Winchester in the eye.

"I know, I know I should've said something, but he made me promise not to. You gotta believe me Sam I didn't mean for any harm to come from it. And I promise, had I'd known that things would turn out this way I would've told you the moment I saw my phone ringing." She defended, desperate for him to accept her apology.

She couldn't have the both of them hating her, not over something that didn't even seem worth the argument.

Sam offered a thoughtful look as he mulled over her words, knowing he couldn't be angry with Rory for long. Sure when he'd heard she'd spoken to his father, he was heated, but the moment he'd seen her, and the guilt etched all over her face, he knew she'd learned her lesson. He couldn't believe she would do anything like that out of spite anyway.

"I believe you." He gave a heavy sigh, throwing eyes onto Dean who'd loaded himself into the Impala and roared it to life.

"It'll take him a bit to get over it though." He spoke, recognizing the annoyance on Dean's face. He was fixing himself to hold this against Rory for as long as he could. Rory shook her head in sadness, believing him completely.

Knowing Dean, he'd milk this for as long as he saw fit.

"I just...things were going so well between us for once." She admit, scratching the itch on her temple. There was a brief silence between them.

"Rore. If Dean's reacting this way over a simple phone call-"

"I know." She breathed, shoulders drooping as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear before shoving her hand into the front pocket of her light washed, knee-torn jeans. She'd stuck to a simple outfit for the long drive to wherever their new job was located, one that fit with the horrible mood she was in, which consisted of a plain black v-neck t-shirt, her trusty leather jacket, and a messy bunned hairdo.

"How's he gonna react when I tell him about Noah.." She uttered, afraid to even speak the name while Dean was in plain view.

She daringly flickered her gaze onto Dean, and their eyes locked on like magnets, but as expected, he'd ripped away first, facing forward and blowing the horn urging Sam to hurry up.

The younger Winchester rolled his eyes before narrowing his gaze back onto Rory.

"You have to tell him." He contended, earning a genuine look of bewilderment from Rory in return. She inched closer to him, craning her neck up to look him dead in the eye.

"Are you **out** of your **motherloving** mind?! Why would I do that now?! Now? After he chewed me up for keeping a phone call a secret from him Sam, a **phone call!** You're nuts." She whispered in panic mode, earning an eye roll from Sam.

"Because the longer you keep this from him, the more it's gonna hurt. Trust me. You're only making it worse, on **both** of us." He pressed before turning to walk away from her and over to the Impala, leaving Aurora no choice but to take in his words.

She hadn't looked at it that way before. She was just like John in the sense that she'd asked Sam to keep what may have been the biggest secret of all away from Dean.

 _Oh God,_ she thought. The guilt almost too much to bare.

Suddenly, she was the asshole, and the bad guy who needed to make things right. And to do that, she knew exactly what had to be done, but-

"How the hell am I supposed to confess something like that..." She whispered to herself, standing alone for another moment, before taking a deep breath and moving towards her car. She'd have to tough it out for now and put the job first.

Regardless of her problems, there were still innocent people out there dying, and it was up to them to stop that from happening.

* * *

The smooth sounds of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication" caressed the silence in her car as it sped down the Interstate behind the Impala. Their melodies helped to keep Rory's emotions in check, and she was grateful.

 _"Screw that. You can't tell him Rore."_ Jo's voice rang through the speaker of her phone as she contributed to their conversation.

The minute she'd pulled out of the motel parking lot she'd sought advice from one of her only friends on the earth, one who knew of her struggles and deepest darkest secrets. Thankfully, Jo was dependent, and answered her call almost immediately, happy to have heard from her best friend after months of radio silence.

"But-you're the one who-"

 _"Oh I know what I said, but if this is how Dean wants to react after finding out you talked to John and didn't tell him, just imagine how much worse it's gonna be when you tell him about Noah! Keep in mind that that is a situation that actually has something to do with him."_ Jo cussed, not at all impressed with how immaturely Dean was handling the situation.

"That's what Sam and I thought. It's the right thing to do." She nodded, thinking maybe it wouldn't be the worse thing finally telling Dean.

 _"I'm not saying you never tell him, I'm just sayin' choose a better time. Right now you guys need to stick together, and driving a wedge between you two, Noah being said wedge by the way, is not in any way, shape, or form what you need right now."_

Rory sighed heavily, shifting gears when Dean had sped up.

"But Sam rose a good point. I'm John Winchestering him." She grimaced at the thought of ever being comparable to the man who'd been the source of all her drama for the time being.

 _"True, but your reasons are way more valid than John's, and I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one to think so either. Sam's just at a crossroads because Dean's his brother. He can't help but let his loyalties blur a bit."_ Jo explained, granting Rory a little more understanding for the situation she was in.

"I guess." She spoke, sighing a few moments later, flipping back and forth between her choices.

"I don't know."

 _"Well I hate to break it to you but, you're gonna have to figure it out without me for now. Afternoon rush. I gotta go."_

"You're useless." Rory rolled her eyes in annoyance.

 _"Love ya too. Don't kill each other out there."_ She could hear the smile in Jo's voice, and couldn't help but smirk herself _._

"I'll keep you posted."

 _"Yeah alright, and come visit me soon bitch! Bye."_

Rory took in a deep breath before letting it go, shutting her eyes briefly as she sought out comfort in her own company. Her fingers tapped silently against the wheel to the melody of the song playing on the soft rock radio station.

"You'll figure it out. You always do." She told herself calmly, enjoying the blurring scenery of lush green trees as they continued down the Interstate.

* * *

 **Omaha, Nebraska**

 **April 16th 2006**

They'd done all the digging they could about the new monster they were up against. A Rawhead, and it was as bad as it sounded. Feeding on children and seeking refuge in basements. Two children had gone missing, siblings, and that was all it took for Rory to dive into the case and discover the only way to kill the Rawhead was by electricity, so the gang had decided to take heed late the next day, leaving Rory's car behind unwillingly, and headed to the abandoned house out in the country where they were sure the monster would had moved onto. The drive wasn't anything short of awkward while Rory sat uncomfortably in the backseat. The tension between her and Dean was thick enough to suffocate Sam, so much so that he had chosen to wind down his window the entire ride over despite the chilly night air.

They pulled up after a twenty minute drive out of town to the location they were sure the children were being held.

"You think it'll just hand them over?" She cracked, regardless of how much she knew Dean didn't want to hear her voice for the time being.

"Doubt it." Sam answered with a light smirk, eyeing her in his side view mirror. She shrugged noticing how blatantly Dean had ignored her. She wouldn't tiptoe around anyone in this life, no matter what. He'd chosen to stay pissed at her for almost an entire day, and she no longer cared if he wanted to hold a grudge against her. She'd explained her reasons for doing what she had done, and after speaking to Jo, she had come to realize that she owed him nothing.

Everything she did, she did for the good of herself and the people she loved. If he couldn't see that, then tough.

Dean cut the engine off and swiftly exit the car followed by the other two hunters, Sam payed her a sympathetic look before she could wave him off with a gentle smile as they hurried around to the trunk to grab the weapons they would need. She'd made it over to them just in time to see Dean pull out three tasers they'd bought in town.

"What do you got those amped up to?" Sam asked while he and Rory checked and loaded the batteries into their flashlights. The area was almost pitch black, with hardly any light around except from the moon in the sky. They'd need all the light they could gather.

"A hundred thousand volts." Dean answered, earning a short whistle from Rory in return as she shoved her cellphone into her back pocket.

"Damn." Sam commented.

"Yeah, I want this rawhead extra frickin' crispy." Dean answered, moving as quick as he possibly could.

"And remember, you only get one shot with these things. So make it count." Rory nodded, listening intently as she stared sightless into the dark distance.

Sam moved for the house first, leaving her and Dean to follow. She sighed watching his back before reaching out to grab his arm by the material of his coat.

"Dean wait-" She was cut off by the intense wave of emotions that had passed through her entirety. Her knees nearly gave out and she cringed, gritting her teeth so not to groan out as the pain swam through her veins. It was so intense it nearly paralyzed her. And just as quick as they bad feelings had entered her, they'd disappeared.

She had to rip her hand away and step back one step to catch herself before Dean had finally found it in him to push aside his irritation for Rory and look over his shoulder at her, an uninterested glare in his eyes.

Rory's breath shuddered as her heart raced thrummed like the wings of a caged bird.

"What?" He asked with steely eyes, knowing they were running out of time.

Rory fixed to speak, trying her best to ignore the horrible feeling left behind in her system. She swallowed.

"...Be careful." She uttered, voice shaking with fear

Dean looked her in the eyes for a moment, offering a meaningful look before softening his glare.

"...Yeah, you too." He gruffed, and carried on into the house leaving Rory to look after him.

The feeling of death raining thunderous over her head.

* * *

They moved quickly down the basement stairs, guns and flashlights at the ready as they went on in single file. Rory kept close to Dean, keeping an eye out for any and anything that proved to be a threat. She wasn't sure what had happened when she'd touched him just a few minutes before, but she would do her best to make sure that no harm came to him, or Sam.

Hearing a noise, they move toward a cupboard.

"On three. One. Two..." Dean whispered. Rory felt her heart rate pick up again.

"Three-" Dean swung open the door, revealing a young boy and girl crouched inside with barely any space to breathe with their hands over their ears, sheer fright etched upon their faces. Rory and Sam immediately lowered their guns.

"Is it still here?" Sam whispered, earning nods from both kids.

"Okay. Grab your sister's hand, come on, we gotta get you out of here. Let's go, let's go." Dean ushered them out.

"C'mon sweetie." Rory coaxed, taking up the rear behind the the little girl just in front of Sam as they all moved towards the stairs.

"Alright, go!" Dean urged, moving quickly behind them. Rory tried to swallow back the fear that kept crawling up her throat and nearly screamed when she heard Sam yell out. She spun around at the top of the steps, her priority being to save the children first, and saw that a hand had grabbed Sam by the legs through the small space between the stairs, knocking him back down. The screams of the children pierced the room, raising Rory's heart rate to an all time high.

"It's okay! Sammy?!" She told them, holding them by the shoulders.

"Sam!" Dean shouted, hopping off the staircase and running beneath to shoot the taser at the creature.

Rory heard it go off, but the lack of bloodcurdling screams let her know that he'd missed his target.

"Guys, get 'em outta here!" He ordered.

"Here take this!" She witnessed Sam toss his taser to his brother. Rory made to go back down and to help Dean, but Sam blocked her way.

"Rory c'mon, the kids!"

"But-Dean!" He forced her with his broad frame, leaving her no chance to explain. She couldn't warn him, couldn't protect him.

All because of her stupid need to protect the innocent first.

"No-screw that-Sam move! Dean needs help!"

"Rory!" He called after her from outside, watching nervously as she sprinted back down the steps after Dean.

He turned to look at the two shaking children.

"Stay here. Don't move!" He ordered, running in after Aurora.

 _"RORY DON'T!"_

 _"DEAN!"_

Sam's body stiffened in fear at the sound of their distant voices yelling for each other. The possibility of losing them strangled him. He had to practically throw himself forward from his spot to hurry down the steps.

Upon arrival, he found Aurora in a corner drenched from the legs down in water, her face slick with tears as she cradled Dean's sleeping face as the rest of him lay limp in a puddle of water.

"Dean!" Rory jumped back inside of herself at the sound of Sam's booming voice as he made it to the bottom of the stairs. She hiccuped, the tears pooling in her crystal like eyes as she moved to wipe at her damp cheeks, pulling away from an unconscious Dean.

"What happened?!" His voice cracked once he reached them, lifting Dean's weight to rest half his body on his lap while holding his face.

Rory fell back onto her bottom, soaking it in water without a care. The tears were uncontrollable, and she couldn't stop the pain in her heart, or the fear that Dean was no longer with them.

"He-he..he hit it, but he-he...he didn't see the water. He didn't see the water Sam-"

"Dean, hey. Hey."

She'd felt this. The looming death, the heart wrenching pain.

"I felt it..." She cracked.

Right down the center.

* * *

 **Nebraska Hospital**

 **Nebraska, USA**

 **April 16th, 2006**

Sam and Rory stood at the desk with a receptionist, preoccupied with their denial to accept Dean's condition. Rory felt paralyzed, entirely.

She could no longer steer her train of thought..

 _You have to tell him about Noah.._ she spoke internally.

She could no longer hold onto her strength to hold back the tears. They kept falling, regardless.

 _You need to tell him.._

"Sir, I'm so sorry to ask. There doesn't seem to be any insurance on file." She heard the nurse ask.

"Right. Uh, ok." Sam replied, distracted while he and his best friend waited impatiently for word from Dean's doctor.

"Okay, Mr. Burkovitz." Rory tapped his arm at the sight of two cops waiting to go over their reports.

She didn't want to deal with them, she couldn't.

 _Come clean.._

She wasn't even sure she could use her voice. Sam peered down at Rory, seeing how distraught and flooded in sorrow she was, and took it upon himself to talk with the authorities.

"Look out for the doc, I'll uh, I'll go talk to the cops." He told her before stepping over.

Rory had barely registered his words, her brain too busy replaying the moment Dean had electrocuted himself. She winced, blinking the image away while playing with the cross around her neck.

 _"...we heard some screaming when we drove past the house, and we stopped. Ran in."_ She overheard Sam.

Thankfully, the kids were okay, and alive.

She had that to take away from the horrible mess she was currently drowning in.

Just then she'd noticed the tall slightly overweight African American middle-aged doctor make his way out into the hall, and immediately her feet traveled towards him, gaining Sam's attention as she walked by him.

"Excuse me." He said before hurrying after her.

"Mrs. Winchester-"

"How is he? Is he-..is he gonna be okay?" She choked, the name sounding like another life she wished she had once upon a time.

 _He's dying...need to tell him everything.._

"Hey, Doc. Is he..." Sam asked coming to a stop beside her. Rory sought comfort in Sam's presence behind her, thankful to have him around for moments like these, when the hunt got the better of her. She wasn't sure how much of this situation she would've been able to take on her own.

"He's resting." Answered the doctor, a look of sympathy in his soft eyes.

"And?" Asked Sam, taking the words that Rory couldn't speak right out of her mouth.

 _Before it's too late Aurora.._

"The electrocution triggered a heart attack. Pretty massive, I'm afraid. His heart...it's damaged." Rory felt as though she'd pass out right then. The air around her thinned and her heart throbbed in her ears while the room spun.

Sam had to hold her by her shoulders to help keep her steady, while holding in tears of his own. He had to be strong for his brother, strong for Rory too.

"...How damaged?" He choked.

"We've done all we can. We can try and keep him comfortable at this point. But, I'd give him a couple weeks, at most, maybe a month."

"Oh God." Rory cried out, so loud she was sure Dean had probably heard her. The grip Sam had on her had tightened somewhat.

 _It's too late.._

"No, no. There's, there's...gotta be something you can do, some kind of treatment." He asked desperately.

"We can't work miracles. I really am sorry."

Rory bawled, the tears now soaking her face as she dropped her head in grief. The feeling of death lurking over her head began to push her down so that her body grew heavy.

"No..." Her shoulders hopped with sorrow.

The hold around arms let up completely as Sam let go as he turned to walk away in anger and denial.

"Sam!" Rory called after him, feeling as though she'd failed everyone around her.

Feeling as though she'd broken every promise she'd ever made.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1.** "Californication" - Red Hot Chili Peppers


	29. Faith Pt II

She could hear the light volume singing from his television as she stood pale just outside of his hospital room. Sick. That was the one word she could use, the only word that best described how she felt in that moment. She couldn't bring herself to enter, knowing that if she did, it'd be real. There'd be no rewinding Deans fate.

He was dying, and there wasn't a thing that Rory could think of to help change that.

The pattering of footsteps coming from behind caught her off guard. It was a set she'd singled out from the rest of the noise around her, and she recognized it immediately once she'd felt the energy around it. Once they'd come to a stop behind her she shut her eyes closed, the feel of his hand resting gently on her shoulder offering her comfort that her heart just wouldn't accept.

There was nothing to be comfortable with.

"..you not going in?" Asked Sam, voice weakened by stress and worry.

Rory shook her head no, unable to speak.

Sam felt for her, squeezing her shoulder with reassurance as he shifted on his feet.

"...he's gonna be okay Rore. I promise." Rory blinked her eyes open, casting her void gaze to the ground. A tiny nod was all she could give. No matter how much determination she heard lingering in his voice, she just couldn't bring herself to believe that the worse was over. She could feel something brewing in the pit of her stomach, and it was more unsettling than any other feeling she'd ever experienced before. She wasn't sure how long she'd be able or willing to endure it.

Sam had nothing else to say, nothing that would make her feel any better at least. So he decided to take her answer for what it was before moving past her into the room.

Daring to twist her body at the slightest angle, Rory peeked in, desperate to see his face, but stopped herself, stifling her curiosity away while bringing her trembling hand up to rest over her mouth. The nerves were beginning to settle knowing that Dean had Sam's company for the time being. She felt bad enough having kept so many secrets away from him, it was another thing to avoid keeping him company on his death bed.

Her eyes prickled with a slight sting from tears as they built up, about ready to spill over the brims at the thought of him not walking out of here.

 _"Have you ever actually watched daytime TV? It's terrible."_

Rory sniffed upon hearing the groggy sound of Dean's voice. It was so unlike him to sound so weak and worse for wear, but of course in the face of all that, he chose to keep his humor intact.

 _"I talked to your doctor."_ Sam sighed.

 _"That fabric softener teddy bear. Oh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down."_

 _"Dean."_

A heart wrenching sob nearly choked Rory, she had to cover her mouth completely to keep the boys from overhearing. The silence was enough to kill her. She could hear the pain in Sam's voice, and that alone was enough to break her. She could no longer hear the television, and figured Dean had shut it off.

 _"Yeah. All right, well, looks like you're gonna leave town without me."_

 _"What are you talking about? I'm not gonna leave you here."_

 _"Hey, you better take care of that car. Or, I swear, I'll haunt your ass."_

 _"I don't think that's funny."_

Rory had agreed one hundred percent with the young Winchester, ready to barge in and slap Dean for ever saying something like that.

 _Leave town without him? What is he insane?!_

Rory continued to cry to herself, swiping furiously at the tears as they wet her blushed cheeks.

 _"Oh, come on, it's a little funny."_

There was a long silence, as painful as all the rest until Dean had passed a breath through his lips.

 _"Look, Sammy, what can I say, man, it's a dangerous gig. I drew the short straw. That's it, end of story."_

 _"Don't talk like that, alright? We still have options."_

Rory shook her head in disbelief. She wouldn't, no matter what believe that that was the end for him, for them. It couldn't be. Not after everything they'd already been through. They'd gone through hell and back, there was no way a massive heart attack could mean the end.

 _"What options? Yeah, burial or cremation. And I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."_

He'd spoken the words she never wanted to hear, and slowly she could feel herself begin to numb at the thought of existing in a world where Dean Winchester didn't.

 _"...Watch me."_

Sam's footsteps pattered heavily against the ground beneath him shook her out of her head for the moment, causing her to straighten against the wall and hold back her sobs in hopes of getting Sam to walk right by without noticing her presence.

Thankfully he hadn't.

She blinked long and hard, one final tear slipping past it's cage before she exhaled a shaky breath and tried her best to think clearly.

She needed a plan to save him.

 _Noo, you need to go in there and tell him about Noah._

She wouldn't let him die.

 _You heard him, there's nothing you can do about it._

 _"...You gonna stand out there all day?"_ His voice lacked the lightness it held before while talking to Sam, and she wasn't sure whether or not it was because he was still angry with her, or if he was simply grumpy.

 _He did just suffer a heart attack._

Slowly she turned so that she was standing right in the door frame, but she kept her gaze downcast towards her feet. Sneakily, the saltwater discharged from her eyes and hit the ground one drop at a time.

She just couldn't stop herself.

"...Hey." His hard voice had turned soft, and Rory heard the light quickly return to it. She sniffed and nodded, wiping her cheeks with the palm of her hand before forcing herself to finally lay eyes on him.

He was pale, sickly and the dark purple circles under his tired eyes were the first thing she'd noticed while looking at him.

Dean frowned, hating seeing her cry, especially over him. It seemed lately that he was the problem for all of her grief, and he'd hate to leave her thinking that she didn't matter to him.

"Don't cry for me. I'm gonna be alright. I'm okay-"

"You're not." She answered, tone more harsh than she'd expected. Dean watched her calmly, unable to front any longer. He tried to put on a brave face for her, so that she could find at least a little comfort, but he knew better.

Aurora could always see right through him.

"...I'm not. But you will be. You and Sam, you can go on without me."

"Dean-"

" **Angel.** " He forced his voice. Her heart weakened at the sound of her name leaving his lips. She carried her heavy gaze unto him.

Dean's hues had darkened with the exhaustion and stress on his body. They weren't nearly as green as they naturally were. He held a serious look, captivating her all the same.

"You have to keep goin'. No matter what..." He told her.

 _..but how? That's impossible. Impractical._

If he left her, she'd never get to hear that name again.

"You can't leave me. Not now. Not like this." She whimpered stepping deeper into the room as Dean frowned deeply. There were other patients in there with him, their curtains closed for privacy, and Rory found herself thankful for not having to see them during what might've been bad conditions. She wasn't sure he heart could take anymore grief.

 _Tell him now Rory,_ she barked mentally as she fixed her lips to speak.

"...I-"

"I'm sorry." He breathed. Rory erased the entire attempt of speaking her mind the moment Dean's apology spilled from his lips. She found herself genuinely confused by it's random appearance, sniffing and swiping at the irritated skin on her cheeks.

"For what?" She questioned. not understanding. Out of the both of them, if anyone should have been apologizing, it was her, for keeping the secrets she did, and for not having the courage to tell him what he deserved to know.

For some reason, one unknown, she just **couldn't** tell him her biggest one. And every time she went to try, something intervened.

"For hurting you..I'm sorry." Dean replied, eyes softening and pulling down at the corners with sadness. Rory's face fell, ad with the slightest twitch of the corner of her mouth she smirked.

"Don't be. I deserved the silent treatment. I shouldn't have kept your dad's phone call a secret from you and Sam. **I'm** sorry." She apologized, realizing how it might've looked from another point of view.

Dean eyed her closely, noting the generosity in her eyes. He knew she meant no harm by what she'd done, and he had to admit to himself after a couple of hours of being upset with her that he might have been too hard on her. He knew her well enough to know that she'd never want to hurt him, but he just couldn't help but be angry with her. He'd pent everything up for a while. It was easy using her as a punching bag, but wrong and he understood that the moment she'd stopped him before going into that abandoned house.

"It's okay." He uttered. Rory nodded quietly, welcoming the comfortable silence she'd missed so much between them. It was a peaceful moment between them, one she knew she'd miss if...

"You know, I'd much rather have you as my nurse than that Nancy. She's like fifty going on deceased." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Dean!" Rory exclaimed with a harsh whisper earning a soft chortle from the battered Winchester.

"I'm just sayin', I'm hating that I'm gonna die in a place where the nurses aren't even hot." He whined and soon it was Rory's turn to roll her eyes. She was sure pretty soon her pupils would disappear behind her lids permanently.

"Figures. And will you quit with that 'dying' crap? You're not gonna die." She scolded.

"Right...You can always check me out. Take care of me yourself." He wiggled his brows while throwing her a suggestive smirk. Rory grimaced in return, picking herself up from her seat.

"Ohhh no. I'm not about to change your diapers." She held up a hand urging him to quit while he was ahead, turning to leave.

"Wh-I'm not wearing any diapers!"

"Sure you aren't." She threw over her shoulder.

"Where you going? At least keep me company while Sam's out doing God knows what. This place is horrible, and daytime television sucks ass." Dean complained, causing her to stop in her tracks, her shoulders dropping. A part of her felt bad for leaving him alone in a hospital, but the other part, the bigger part felt that it would all be worth it if it meant going out and finding a way to save him.

She sighed and turned to look at him once more, eyes serious.

"Dean I need to be doing what Sam's doing and figure out a way to save you." She told him.

"I told you Rory, there's nothing out there that can stop this. It's natural, we just have to let nature take it's course." Dean spoke, sparking anger in her chest.

"Fuck that." Rory spat, refusing to accept such an absurd response from someone of his caliber.

"Wow." Dean rose his brows in surprise. Rory always swore. Sometimes without even realizing it. Profanity was her second language, she was practically a sailor, but he always felt it to be more intense whenever she meant to swear.

"Since when do you kneel and roll over?" Her eyes squint in question, not understanding how he could be so accepting over his fate.

"Since-..." He trailed off looking away. Rory waited patiently for his answer.

"Look I'm tired alright?" He answer, flicking his gaze back onto her. She frowned, pursing her lips as she took a step towards his bedside.

She could understand. Living the lifestyle they did was not easy, nor beneficial. It didn't care, it didn't show mercy. It just was, and it lately it'd been feeling as though it were against them more than for them. They laid their lives on the line every single day, and for what?

She saw where he was coming from. She was tired too.

"...I'm tired too Dean. But you don't get to leave me behind. Not again. You don't get to cheat and take the easy way out. Not while I'm around to stop it." She replied strongly.

She knew what it was like to be tired, but that didn't mean she'd give up. Without another word, she fed him one last meaningful look before she carried herself out of the room.

 _"Aurora..."_ She heard Dean call for her, but she kept going. She had to stop this.

She had to save him.

And to do that, she'd have to make a few phone calls first.

* * *

 **Motel Room**

 **April 19th, 2006**

Rory paced up and down outside of her and Sam's motel room. They'd been stowed away for the last three days after leaving Dean in the hospital in hopes of coming up with a solution for him. She left Sam to the research while she made phone calls.

"Dean's dying. I need your help." She spoke, sitting at the edge of her bed.

 _"What can I do?"_

"I need you to tell me if my healing abilities...would work on humans? You seem to know more than you let on so I was hoping maybe there was something you know I can do that could help him.." She could feel Sam's gaze burning a hole through her back, but decided against acknowledging it.

 _"Oh honey that's not something I'm able to tell you-"_

"Missouri please, this is Dean we're talking about, this isn't about me trying to figure out who I am right now. Okay? I just-I need to know if there's anything I can do to help stop this from happening so could you please just, just tell me."

 _"Ariel-"_

 **"PLEASE!"** Rory yelled desperately, feeling her patience wear thin.

"...Don't leave his side. Just...hold onto him while you still can." Rory tensed as she pulled the phone away from her ear to look at the screen just as Missouri ended the call.

She clenched her jaw and shut her eyes closed, thinking of one last option. She'd called everyone, her father, Jo and Ellen, and friends of John. All who weren't able to come up with much. Though there was one friend of John's, Joshua. A man she'd never met before, who'd called back with information on a man in Nebraska who may have been able to help.

But Rory was anything but willing to bet her life that some 'specialist' in Nebraska was the answer to her prayers. This was Dean's life they were fighting for. They'd need more than that.

"C'mon, please..." She whispered to herself after dialing the first number that had come to mind that she'd left for last.

"Come on..." She waited patiently with hope until the line was sent straight to voicemail.

 _"This is John Winchester. If this is an emergency, call my son, Dean at 866-907-3235."_

"DAMMIT!" She yelled, tossing her phone at the wall in front of her was slowly coming undone at the seams. Trying to remain strong was actually weakening her.

Her chest heave as she stood from the bed and began to pace the room, eyes wild with worry. Her hand ran themselves through her untamed tresses.

"...Rore-"

"It can't end like this Sam. Not like this I-...I can't accept this." She gripped her chest turning to face him, feeling as though her heart were withering away just under the flesh and bone of her chest.

"You won't have to. He's gonna be okay. I promise." Sam told her with promising eyes. She did her best to hold onto it, knowing she needed to hang onto her faith.

For Dean.

"Call your father, tell him how much of an ass he is for not being here right now." She snarled marching toward the bathroom with reddening, fiery eyes, her anger clouding her voice of reason.

Rory slammed the door shut behind her and went over to the toilet seat, throwing the lid down before she plopped her weight down onto it and ran her hands through her hair as it curtained her face.

 _"...Hey, Dad. It's Sam. Uh...you probably won't even get this, but, uh...it's Dean. He's sick, and uh...the doctors say there's nothing they can do. Um..."_ She could hear the faint sound of Sam's voice passing under the door and almost instantly, her sobs wracked and swelled in her chest, the realization of Dean's pending doom beating her up.

She bawled, hearing the pain in Sam's voice. She could tell he was fighting back tears.

 _"...but, uh, they don't know the things we know, right? So, don't worry, cause uh Rory and I...we're gonna do whatever it takes to get him better. Alright...just wanted you to know."_

Rory pulled herself together in time, just as the silence clouded over their room. She didn't want him to hear her crying. She had to be strong for them. Slow and weak she pushed herself off the toilet seat, using her knees for help and carried herself over to the sink where she was faced with the reflection of someone she barely recognized. Using the backs of her hands she wiped the tears away and took a deep breath upon hearing the door open and shut shortly after. Deep voices, one belonging to Sam and the other to-

"Dean?" She whispered, looking herself in the mirror with disbelief before she went to leave the bathroom.

Sam met her confused gaze, looking surprised yet happy, and confused all at once.

"What the hell.." She uttered, making her way over to them.

Dean could barely stay upright, and had to lean on nearly everything within his reach.

"Well, like I told Angel, I'm not gonna die in a hospital where the nurses aren't even hot." He chuckled weakly, earning a laugh from Sam and an incredulous look from Rory.

"You have got to be kidding me.." She murmured.

"You know, this whole I-laugh-in-the-face-of-death thing? It's crap. I can see right through it." Sam added, shadowing his brother for support. It was an odd scene to witness, and Rory found herself grimacing at how uncomfortable and awkward it all seemed. She couldn't help but shake her head.

"Yeah, whatever, dude. Have you even slept? You look worse than me." Dean asked paying his brother a closer look as Sam brushed by him, ushering him to a nearby chair. He then threw his curious gaze onto Rory, who slipped up and locked her eyes on him, allowing him access into her soul. Dean frowned noticing the puffiness around her eyes and the blood settled under her cheeks.

 _Dammit,_ she cursed mentally.

"You look worse than both of us combined." He paused in his seat, causing Rory to look away, flustered and uneasy.

"Shut up Dean. We're fine." She threw back.

"I've been scouring the Internet for the last three days. Rore's been calling every contact in Dad's journal." Sam answered, leaving Dean be when he was sure he'd settled in his seat.

"For what?" Dean asked.

"For a way to help you." Sam answered.

"Yeah, we're trying to save your ass. You're welcome by the way." Rory added, tone dull. Dean shot her a smirk, satisfied with getting on her last nerve.

"One of Dad's friends, Joshua, he called us back. Told me about a guy in Nebraska. A specialist."

"You're not gonna let me die in peace, are you?" He sighed earning a look from the blonde across the way.

"No." She replied simply.

"We're not gonna let you die, period. We're going."

"But first...I need to try something." Rory spoke, earning the attention of every body in the room. She grew nervous once she felt Sam's stare, knowing that he understood exactly what she was talking about.

"Ror-"

"Sam. I need to try." She cut him off, delivering a strong look from across the room where she stood. She knew he wasn't on board with the idea, and she didn't care to figure out why.

This was Dean's life. So they were going to exhaust every option whether they liked it or not.

She just prayed one of them worked.


	30. Faith Pt III

**I'm so sorry for the wait guys! I'm horrible! I've been so stumped with work and other family related issues but I'M BACK! AND I'M READY TO CONTINUE THIS STORY!**

 **So glad and appreciative of all these reviews and follows and favorites! You guys are awesome and I couldn't ask for better readers. I'm happy you're enjoying it so far and I can't wait to really shake things up! It won't be much loner, and by much longer I mean next chapter :)**

 **Don't shoot!**

 **Anyway, I'll stop ranting and let you get on with reading!**

 **Like always REVIEW! COMMENT! REVIEW! COMMENT!**

 **Hope you enjoy this one!**

 **xoxo**

* * *

 **Motel Room**

 **April 19th, 2006**

"Aurora, I don't like this." Dean gruffed, laying uncomfortably still along the left side of her bed with both hands folded together and resting on top of his diaphragm. He watched the blonde move beside him, taking a seat on the edge of the bed next to him. The nerves had managed to work themselves throughout her body and showcase right through her eyes.

She peeped over her shoulder at Sam who also seemed tempted to speak against her idea.

"We have to try Dean. This could work." She told the dying Winchester, her eyes burning with determination. Dean thought against fighting with her, feeling too weak.

"He's right Rory. You've never tried this before. What if it-"

"I'll be fine. Now everyone just-...shut up. Dean shut your eyes." She spoke, looking heavenward with her eyes shut as she mustered up what little energy she had left. All of the crying had left her nearly drained, but she knew she had to push through.

She wouldn't take Dean dying as her reality.

He did as he was told and exhaled before fluttering his lids shut.

"Just let me do this.." She whispered, more to herself then the others in the room. She could feel the energy, bubbling under her chest, which seemed to be the source of it. There was the need to inhale deeply, as always, and when she exhaled, the calm began to permeate, spreading from her chest throughout her arms and working it's way up to her brain causing her to fall into a dreamy state. The energy surged through her limbs at an unusually slow rate. She figured her exhaustion had something to do with it, but it was uncomfortable for but a moment, causing her to shift her weight and steadily place her open palms on top of Dean's left peck just near his heart.

The seconds ticked on painfully slow, and Sam found himself squirming, wanting to stop Rory once he'd heard the slight groan slip past Dean's lips and caught the same look of discomfort etched across her face as last time. She'd nearly passed out before, and he was scared to find out what would happen if she didn't stop.

"Rory." He tried, taking a step forward and stopping in his tracks once the exposed skin on her body began to glow with a soft pink glow aura before it began to crawl itself past her fingertips and seep into Dean's hoodie. It wasn't long after when Dean began to tense, his skin also illuminating with the pinkish glow of her energy. Sam's eyes widened with hope as he gawked at the scene before him.

"Rory.." He called again, noticing the whimpering sound that left her lips. Her forehead had puckered in what seemed like pain now. Sam felt his heart stammer in his chest the moment the drop of blood had slipped out of her nostril, staining the skin on her hand.

"Rory, stop." He called onto deaf ears, knowing she couldn't hear him. She was too absorbed in her task to notice anything going on outside of it.

Rory felt the burn sizzling underneath her chest, and fought against her urge to break her connection with Dean to rub and sooth the pain.

And suddenly, a spark of white hot pain flashed inside of her causing her face to scrunch up in agony.

"Ah-" She cried out, her head tipping back while her face was contorted with pain. Sam went forward quickly, but paused, afraid to make any contact with the two. The glow in Dean's skin had faded, and he began to pale again, returning to the same battered looking man he was before. It was as if all of Rory was pulling her energy back. He panicked, looking between them.

"RORY!"

It was like static. Shrill, unpleasant and continuous, never once letting up on her eardrums. Rory ripped away from her hold, breaking whatever connection she had with Dean, trying to fight against the pain in her body, but failing. She convulsed, and collapsed onto the ground by Sam's feet where she continued to seize.

"Rory! Aurora-"

An ear-splitting scream left her mouth as she stiffened. Her chest tightened, feeling as though it would crack open any moment.

"Ariel..." The voice inside of her head spoke, it was barely audible and sounded as though it were muffled.

"Dean?! You okay?!" Sam asked as his brother struggled to sit up, holding his chest as he did.

"What's happening to her? Rory?!" Dean panicked, focusing on his breathing as he tried to remain calm. It was lingering inside of him, granting him a moment of painless exhaustion. He wasn't as stiff or soar as before, and his headache had gone away, along with some of the pain in his chest. He felt as though he could breathe better too.

"Sam?! What is this? Why is she glowing?!" He called out to his brother once he'd found Aurora's illuminated, jolting body on the ground with blood leaking from her nose.

"I-I-I don't know!" Sam freaked with wide eyes as he moved to kneel next to his best friend, reaching out for her-

"No-no-no don't touch her. Don't just-..Aurora!" Dean tried, but to no avail. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the ground to rest on his knees opposite from Sam.

"Angel.." He called out to her once more, voice softer and struck with fear as he instinctively reached out to cup the side of her face.

"Dean." Sam watched as his brother daringly made contact, following his hand to her face.

Rory felt the pain move from her chest and race up her throat ready to choke her before it then worked it's way up to her brain, wrapping around it like tendrils.

Just as that happened, her entire body fell limp.

Dean pulled away from her, hovering his hands over her thinking he'd done something wrong. Sam mirrored his actions with the same look of distress in his eyes.

"What happened?"

"I don't know."

* * *

 _She could feel the warmth beating against the skin on her face. Her forehead creased as she slowly came to._

 _In a bed of green, she woke from her deep slumber, her lashes fluttering open as she did. Her grey-blue orbs quickly adjusted to the shiny, beaming sun hovering over her. Lush trees filled of green and branches granted a bespeckled view of the heavenly skies, but the sight was still breathtakingly beautiful. She felt her muscles relax as the enchantment took hold of her, feeling a calm wash over her as she lay still, taking it all in. Her palms rested flat on the twig littered, leaf carpeted ground beneath her, and slowly she rolled over onto her back. Holding back her urge to groan from the soreness lingering beneath her chest. She took in the sight around her, before falling deeply into confusion._

 _"Hello?..." She spoke quiet and soft, her voice not sounding like her own. She breathed in the fresh, crisp air, the pine scent filling her senses, and adjusted to the difference she felt within herself._

 _Calmly, Rory pushed herself up onto her knees, and then onto her feet, crunching a few twigs under her weight._

 _It resembled a leaved paradise. An oasis garden of some sort. Life surrounded her entirely. In the short distance she could hear the trees creaking with age as they stretched way over her head like skyscrapers._

 _"...Anyone out there?!" She asked, interrupting the soothing sounds of swaying leaves in the light breeze. She could hear the water streaming along down an unknown path, but couldn't spot the source anywhere._

 _"...Hello!-"_

 _She froze like stone after snapping her gaze over to a large plant enclosed in bark and shedding leaves, the sound of crackling ferns and snapping branches grabbing her attention._

 _A leg, strong and decorated i a tawny, golden brown fur stepped out fro behind the mahogany trunk, leading the rest of its body. Rory felt the fear fade into the background of her mind when she caught sight of the familiar beast._

 _Her forehead creased in confusion._

 _"You again.."_ _The lioness revealed its entirety, it's mane rich and healthy as it circled fiercely around its face. It's teeth sharp and jagged, poking past its lips just slightly as it's long pink tongue went to lick one as it stalked it's prey._

 _Rory stood tall, showing no fear._

 _"You're not gonna hurt me.." She said, believing her word entirely._

 _There was something in it's eyes, something she'd recognized in her own reflection, something she'd seen time and time again. It was protective, and promising, granting her peace._

 _The corners of her lips twitched upwards._

 _"You're trying to tell me something.." She spoke as more of an unsure question._

 _"What is it? What are you trying to tell me?" She squinted, her feet unknowingly carrying her closer to the majestic creature._

 _"Who are you?" She asked, nearly stumbling backwards onto her bottom when she'd suddenly found a man standing in the place of the lion._

 _A gasp escaped past her lips, her eyes widened with fear as she jumped back a couple of steps whilst staring into his piercing, icy blue eyes._

 _He seemed to have appeared out of thin air, in the blink of an eye._

 _"Who-...who the hell are you?! Where's-..." She paused, squinting as her mind placed the pieces of an unsolved puzzle together. She'd seen him before, somewhere, in sometime she couldn't remember. But he was familiar enough to recognize. He studied her with calculating eyes, his lips shut into a thin line as he remained unresponsive. Rory felt the hairs on her skin raise._

 _Her lips split to speak, but no words would leave her._

 _They continued to stare deeply into each other's eyes until a loud roar cut clear around the silence from the spot beside her. Rory jumped up in fright as the hairs on her skin rose when she found none other than the majestic lioness in the spot next to her, eyes fierce and angry as it shone with intensity. Rory suddenly couldn't ignore the excruciating pain deep in her chest which seemed to climb up her shoulders and rest under her back._

 _She yelped, wincing before she threw her eyes back on the strange man before them, his dark and void eyes now glued to the animal accompanying her._

 _"Heal."_

* * *

Rory gasped for air when she woke, shooting into an upright position with her arms shooting out for something in front of her that no longer existed in her reality. Her heart raced as she looked around frantically, feeling the material of an object she couldn't make out. Her forehead wrinkled with confusion.

"What the-..what the-.." Her breath left in heavy pants as one hand raced to grip her chest before moving up to reached over her shoulder, trying to get to a spot on her back that had felt like it was on fire.

"Rore?" A voice called, one she recognized anywhere. She wanted nothing but to respond, but the pain was so intense she couldn't focus her attention on him. She pat at her back as if trying to out a fire before she began clawing at the skin under the fabric of her shirt.

"It burns!" She cried.

"Hey! Rory?! It's okay, it's okay! You're safe." She could feel herself coming to a stop, and it wasn't until she jerked forward a little that she'd realized she was in motion. Weakly she reached for whatever she could and practically drooped out of whatever containment she was in, and landed in a heap onto the floor.

She grunted on impact, rolling onto her side as she reached for her back again.

"What's going on?!-"

"She woke up and started freaking out-Rory. Calm down!" Dean tried to get the blonde to hear him. The order fell onto deaf ears.

"Dammit." Dean straddled her hips, holding her by the cheeks while trying to get her to focus on him, but she seemed to be staring right through him with glassy eyes.

"It hurts.." She pained weakly, her voice dripping with agony.

"Shhhh, it's okay. It's alright I got you. It's okay-"

"My-...my back...it's.." She trailed off, feeling lightheaded and dreamy, as if she were slipping back into a deep slumber.

"Dean." Sam called, gripping his brother's shoulder as he observed the Singer.

"Rory listen to me, you're okay." Dean spoke, ignoring Sam for a moment, too caught up in trying to manage the situation in front of him. His heart beat frantically in his chest as panic rose in his throat.

"Dean." Sam tried again, begging for attention.

"What Sam?!" Dean snapped, glancing up at his brother.

"She's asleep!" Sam retorted just as quickly.

Dean paused, holding his hands on her shoulder's as she struggled beneath his grip, fighting to move.

It wasn't until he took it all in, the glassy look in her eyes, the unresponsiveness, the way she moved without coordination..

"She's sleepwalking!" Sam repeated.

"You have to wake her up!" Sam urged, kicking Dean into high gear.

"C'mon Rory wake up. Wake up baby." He called out to her, moving his hands from her shoulders to cup her cheeks. Rory's hands tightened their grip on her chest and shoulder, feeling some of the pain wear off.

"Angel." Dean called softly, brushing the hair away from her face.

Rory immediately calmed under his touch, feeling the pain fade almost completely, giving her body the chance to recuperate.

"Angel. Aurora come on. Wake up."

The silence was suffocating, and overwhelming as they waited for something, anything. Dean felt the frustration try to choke him.

"... **AURORA!** "

She shook awake, sucking in a deep breath as she welcomed consciousness properly, leaving her dream behind the walls of her mind for the time being.

"Oh thank God." Dean and Sam both visibly relaxed, feeling the tenseness slip off their shoulders once they'd seen the glassy look in her eyes disappear the moment she'd narrowed her gaze on Dean's face.

He was like an angel hovering above her, with the blazing sun behind the crown of his head as his halo.

 _What the hell?_ She thought.

She focused her breathing, steadying it almost instantly as she shifted under him, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"You're-...did it work? Did I heal him?!" She glanced back and forth between the two brothers, who'd felt puzzled by her words.

"What?" Asked Dean.

"Did it work? And why are you on top of me? Wh-"

"Rory." Sam called for her attention, gaining it almost instantly.

Rory heard the urgency in his tone, and noted that maybe the moment a little more serious that she thought. She flicked her gaze onto him with hopeful eyes. She needed to know if she helped.

"Did I heal him or not Sam?" She asked quietly, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer. Sam sighed, unsure of how to break the news.

"Not." Spoke Dean causing Rory to slump in sadness.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't help him. She'd proven to herself yet again, that she couldn't keep her promise to their parents. She blinked momentarily, trying to swallow her disappointment.

"..Then what happened? Why can't I remember anything after the motel room..How'd I get here? how is it day-"

"Rory..." Sam called, voice soft and sympathetic as sadness clouded his features.

Rory frowned tearing her puzzled gaze away from the clear sky and placing it on him, not understanding where the nature of his look was coming from.

"What am I missing?" She asked, nerves wracking through her. It was obvious she was missing something, her right mind was telling her so, besides all of the other obvious signs.

"You passed out. After you tried to heal Dean you just...collapsed." Sam answered.

Rory tried to register it all, blinking long and hard as she searched her brain for the past Sam spoke of, but having no recollection.

All that was left behind was the dream she'd been having prior to waking up. By the thought alone she could feel the burning tingle underneath the skin on her back and chest. The images flashed behind the wall of her mind one after another, playing it over like a movie.

Her forehead creased.

"But-...I was dreaming-"

"It didn't work." Dean spoke, his jaw clenched as he wore a hardened expression.

"Then...w-...I passed out?" She asked, feeling completely lost.

"Yeah..it's like you went comatose." Sam answered.

Rory processed, furrowing her brows as she narrowed her gaze on Dean.

"...How long?" She asked, noticing how...well and in good health he looked. The color had returned to his ivory skin tone, and his green-hazel hues had regained their usual brightness.

If she wasn't responsible for that, then who was?

"Three days." Dean answered without missing a beat.

* * *

"So let me get this straight, I've been unconscious for three days, and you **asshats** were just solving cases and driving around the back-roads of America with me in the backseat?! Where the hell are we going?!"

Rory was once again back in the Impala, though this time in the front seat next to Dean as they drove along the interstate in no obvious direction.

"Well we were on our way back to Missouri to see if she could tell us something we didn't know. We called her right after the hunt, told her what was going on and she told us to hightail our asses over to her, but then you woke up. And we took you to the hospital, but they weren't telling us anything we didn't already know." Dean responded easily with a shrug, not at all bothered by her frustration.

 _As long as she's awake,_ he thought.

"Which was?!" Rory asked wanting to be filled in on everything she'd missed. Nothing made sense, and now thanks to her trying to fix things with Dean, she'd missed out on actually helping him. It angered her to know that not a thing she'd done had helped.

"That you were comatose." Dean answered.

 _"We just wanted to make sure you were safe and away from harm so we..."_ Sam's voice rang from the speaker of her phone which she held in her lap whilst he drove behind them in her beloved car. As much as she wanted to be back behind the wheel, there was no way they'd allow it, and it wasn't like she had all of her strength back yet. There was an aching beneath her chest that she'd absently rub every now and then, and a soreness in her back that she couldn't shake.

"You what?" She squinted, keeping her gaze forward.

 _"Stole you from the hospital."_ Sam finished before clearing his throat. Dean smirked just as Rory threw a shocked look his way. She shook her head in disbelief.

 _I leave them for three days, and they're out kidnapping people,_ she thought.

"Well that's not All Points Bulletin worthy at all." She rolled her eyes wondering just how they managed to sneak an entire body out of a hospital room let alone an entire hospital.

"We did you a favor trust me. All they were gonna do was shove a tube down your throat and pump you full of unnecessary fluids. A little APB doesn't phase us if it meant keeping you safe." Dean told her, keeping his eyes steady on the road ahead of them.

Rory never responded, too stuck in her own head at the moment. Her thoughts were jumbled, and a mess, and she was doing her best to make sense of everything in her reality so that she could begin to make sense of her dreams, given she couldn't seem to think of anything else.

"...We can always take you back?" Dean's voice grabbed her attention and she cast her gaze to him.

"Bite me." She quipped.

"You're welcome." Dean rolled his eyes.

 _"Glad to have you back, Rore."_ Spoke Sam sweetly, earning as soft smirk from her in return.

"..Thank you." She spoke before ending their conference call.

She had to admit, they did have her back by keeping her safe. Anyone else would've left her in that hospital or worse.

She threw her gaze onto Dean, tracing his side profile as he drove with one hand on the wheel. He smirked feeling her gaze on him.

"Glad you're still alive..." She admit, feeling the weight on her heart lift just a bit.

"Me too." He returned.

 _Doesn't mean you're out of the woods,_ she told herself, blinking long and hard in deep thought.

She'd almost lost her chance to tell him.

"...I need to talk to you once we settle in somewhere.." She told him.

Dean delivered a curious glance her way, reading every bit of her face for answers, but Rory wore an unreadable expression that even he couldn't figure out.

"Can it not happen now?"

"No." She answered calmly, already thinking of all the possible outcomes of her confession.

Her head shook absently.

"...Alright." He frowned slightly, not sure how excited he was to hear her news. There was no telling if it were good or bad.

"...Is it about whatever happened while you were unconscious?" He wondered aloud.

"..That and then some.." She answered bravely, casting her gaze back towards her window so she could admire the blurred greenery as they sped by.

"...Okay."

She nodded at his response.

 _It's time to come clean,_ she told herself.

"..Okay." She whispered.


	31. Fast Forward To Last Year

**_1 Year ago_**

 _ **Cambridge Ohio**_

 _"Do you still think about our lives after hunting?" Rory asked as she and Dean lay next to each other tangled in sheets, euphoric, naked and baring each others souls._

 _"Sometimes." The Winchester answered simply, eyes staring at the moonlit ceiling above them._

 _"Do you think that life still exists for us?" She questioned._

 _He shrugged in return, earning a frown from Rory._

 _"What's wrong?" She asked turning her head to the side to glance at him through the moonlight, his handsome features glowing beautifully._

 _"Nothing I just...I wish we didn't have to **think** about those possibilities." Rory frowned deeply. _

_"You mean you-you don't want a life after hunting? A life with me?-"_

 _"No no, no of course that's not what I meant. I want everything with you. I'm just...our lives as hunters, they're wired so that we can **only** think about those lives. We can never just leave it all behind, the hunting, the sacrifice. There's always gonna be something to hunt, someone to save." _

_"How do you know that for sure?" Rory became confused, not sure where the sudden doubt in Dean's tone was coming from. This wasn't something they hadn't talked about before, and when they last had, he was a lot more optimistic on the subject. He smiled at the future possibilities that could've been their lives together. Happy and in love._

 _"...Just a feeling." He spoke._

 _Aurora shifted onto her side so she could better look him in the eyes. She did her best to break down the wall he was hiding behind in his eyes, but to no avail._

 _"Hey.." She called him, earning a soulful glance in return. It was then she could see, the fear in his gaze._

 _She frowned._

 _"What's wrong? You're brooding." She asked again, hoping he'd just come out with it. Dean chuckled as the corners of his lips twitched upwards slightly._

 _"And?"_

 _"And that's a Sam thing, not a Dean thing." She told him, knowing she was right. Dean didn't brood unless he had something to brood about, and given these days things had been running smoothly, that was rare._

 _He took a deep breath in and turned onto his side to match her before pulling her into him so that he could place a soft and sweet kiss on her waiting lips._

 _"Nothing. I love you." He said before placing another chaste kiss on her mouth. Rory accepted his show of affection easily and with a knowing smirk.  
_

 _"Dean I know you well enough to know when something's eating away at you. Now spill." She spoke, enjoying the feel of his coffee scented breath beating gently against her skin._

 _"Just...trust me. I'm okay. You're okay...right?" He asked with thoughtful eyes, there was more in them than she could read, something she wished she knew._

 _"I'm great." She returned._

 _"Good. Then I'm great." He winked after a moment, and puled her closer into his body, resting his chin on the crown of her head._

 _"Get some sleep, we leave early in the morning." He whispered softly into the quiet._

* * *

 **Present Day**

 **Topeka, Kansas**

Rory watched Dean disappear with her bags into the hotel room next to theirs. Her eyes never left the door until Sam came to stand by her side. He read the far off look in her eyes as best he could and frowned.

"...You're telling him." He stated, earning a look from Rory. She looked as though she could cry right then and there.

Truth be told she was terrified that she'd lose everything she had with Dean, but she knew this had to be done. The thought of keeping it a secret any longer would kill her. They couldn't continue like this.

"It's eating me alive. And you're right. I'm only making things worse by keeping Noah a secret." She told him, the sound of her sons name rolling off her tongue sparking a grief in the center of her chest.

"Maybe I was wrong?" Sam smiled tightly with nerves. If he were being honest with himself, he was terrified about the situation too. Knowing it had the potential to ruin their entire circle. He could only imagine how badly his brother would take the news. He knew there'd be a lot of pieces to pick up.

"He deserves better than to be kept a secret Sam." Rory offered a sad smirk, sniffing. She couldn't start crying now, nothing had even been said.

"So does Dean." She finished.

"I get it. You're doing the right thing." Sam nodded, eyeing the ground for a moment. Aurora made to walk around him and down the sidewalk towards her room next door to his and Dean's but paused before following through.

"Don't worry. I won't tell him you knew. He's gonna need someone to lean on.." She spoke resting a hand on Sam's arm. He watched her for a moment, wishing things didn't have to be the way they were. He held all his emotion in his eyes just as Rory did and nodded okay after a few moments of careful consideration. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Dean that he knew about Noah, but he didn't want him to have to suffer with the news alone. So, he'd be there for him.

And he'd be there for her too.

"Look, no matter what...I have your back alright?" He told her with soft eyes. Rory reached up and cupped the side of his face.

"Thank you." She spoke before continuing her journey into her room where she shut the door behind her.

She found Dean sitting on the edge of her bed with his phone to his ear, speaking to what she knew was his father's voicemail. A light frown pulled the corners of her lips downwards.

"Anyway, I gotta go. Call me back." She watched him hang up and sit still for a moment before pushing up from the bed and turning to acknowledge her presence in the room.

"Ready to talk?" He asked lightly, though he held a troubled look in his eyes. He was nervous about what she had to talk about, that much she could read from his look alone.

She'd done this plenty of times, over and over again in her head. She'd tell him her deepest darkest secrets, and during some confessions, he'd react in ways she thought were unnecessary and uncalled for, and during others, he'd react the complete opposite.

It could go either way with him.

 _Time to do this for real now._

* * *

 _ **1 Year Ago**_

 _ **Cambridge, Ohio**_

 _Rory slowly peeled open her heavy lids._

 _A feeling, odd in nature and weighted over her heart began to wrap around her, causing her to immediately roll over onto her back and stretch out an arm in the place she'd seen him last, only to feel the coolness of silk sheets underneath her palm. She turned her gaze onto the spot and found it empty and without a trace of Dean._

 _"Babe?" She rasped, voice hoarse and kissed with sleep._

 _When there was no answer she practically leaped up from the bed, holding the sheet around her naked frame and quickly moved across the room in search of him._

 _"Dean?" She called again after stepping out of the empty bathroom, but no answer. She stood still in the center of the room, eyes frantic and paranoid. She looked to the spot where she last saw his duffel bag and other belongings, only to find them missing too._

 _Something felt off and settled uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach._

 _Her free hand flew down to rest over her stomach as the other held the sheet up tightly against her chest. She felt the churning in her stomach before it quickly rose up into her throat causing her hand to fly up to cover her mouth and her body to spin and sprint towards the bathroom toilet where she emptied the contents in her stomach._

* * *

 **Present Day**

 **Topeka, Kansas**

"So what's this about? Or were you just trying to get me alone?" He wiggled his brows while sauntering over to her. Rory chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes while stopping him from coming any closer by placing a hand on his chest.

"In your dreams." She smirked.

"Alright, what's up?" He chortled, planting himself in his spot in front of her, waiting for her to spill whatever information she had for him. He prayed it was something good. He could use some good in his life right about then.

 _Where to begin?_

"My dreams." she exhaled, running a hand through her waves.

"Right. What happened? I mean, one minute you're healing me and the next you're seizing on the floor." Dean spoke the gruesome image of her shaking body on the ground back in Nebraska haunting him over and over again. He shook it clean from his system and did his best to stick himself in the present.

"Yeah...I..." She squinted, crossing her arms over her chest as she thought back to what took place just hours ago.

"What do you remember?" Dean asked, noticing the stores in her features. He could tell she was having trouble dealing with the fact that she'd been unconscious for the last few days. She opened her mouth to speak.

"It was the lion, again." She told him, watching him closely for a reaction, not sure which reaction she was expecting.

Dean tipped a brow, delivering a puzzled expression.

"Okay.."

"And it wasn't talking this time. I don't think it could...it was odd." She

"I'll say." He scoffed lightly, earning a look from her in return to which he shrugged at.

"Anyway, it just kept looking at me like it wanted to tell me something but couldn't-"

"Because it couldn't talk-"

"Exactly. And then in the blink of an eye...it disappeared. And then some man appeared in its place."

"A man?" Dean's interest peaked, and not in the way he would've liked it to. Rory dreaming about another man was the last thing he ever wanted to hear, but that didn't mean he wouldn't get down to the bottom of it.

"Yes." She answered, genuinely confused, and Dean suddenly couldn't find it in him to feel any kind of negative about the situation.

"You ever see him before? Outside of your dreams I mean?" He asked.

"Never in my life. And it was strange because right before I could really start drilling him for answers on who he was, the lion came back, but that time it was beside me, roaring at him...and it was crazy, it's like it was angry...and I could feel it's anger, as if..." Rory shook her head as she trailed off, not looking at anything in particular.

"As if what?" He pressed, taking a step towards her. Rory fixed her eyes back on him, shaking away the memory of the pain she'd felt after waking up.

"As if it were my own." She answered.

Dean watched her closely and nodded, trying to make sense of it all.

"And that's not the strangest part of it either." She told him, earning a frown in return.

"Then what is?"

* * *

 _ **1 Year Ago**_

 _ **Cambridge, Ohio**_

 _"Hey it's me again. Where the hell are you? I mean did something happen with John? Or Sam? I called them both but no answer either. Is it about them or-...Or some...some other relative? I-...Just call me back. Please. I'm leaving Cambridge and I need to know you're okay and why you left, and I'm assuming you left because..well because there were no signs of-of struggle and no traces of sulfur or..signs of breaking and entering...you left on your own. And if you don't call and tell me something then when I find you, I'm gonna kick your fuckin' ass Dean Winchester...Love you." She sighed before hanging up and shoving her phone back into the depths of her leather jacket pocket before starting for the car, duffel slung over her shoulder. Her eyes fled to the empty parking spot next to her car._

 _The Impala was gone and so was Dean, which meant nothing good for her._

 _And nothing good for them._

* * *

 **Present Day**

 **Topeka, Kansas**

"Heal?" Asked Dean.

"Yeah, and the way he said it, like he was talking to the both of us...and then I just felt pain...intense pain. All over.

"And then you woke up." Dean spoke.

"Yeah. I just-..I can't help but wonder how all of that relates to me y'know? Why a lion? Why did it take me three days to come to? It's crazy. None of it's making sense."

"Alright. I think it's time we gave Missouri another call."

"I agree. I think she can tell me something if not everything, cause lets face it, she never tells you everything." Rory rolled her eyes, moving towards the kitchen around Dean. He followed her with his body and his eyes, but stood still in his spot.

"But first. There's one more thing I have to talk to you about." She spoke, grabbing a complimentary cup from the counter and filling it with tap water before gulping it down.

Dean watched her with concern, a dour look pooling in his jade hues.

"Why don't I get a good feeling about this?"

Rory cursed mentally, thinking she should have probably had a drink or two before starting up this conversation, knowing that she'd need a little more courage to follow through with her confession.

"Uh, because what I'm about to tell you has nothing to do with good feelings." She admit, looking anywhere but at him. Suddenly it was too hard to, but she could feel his gaze, piecing through her soul and burning a hole right through her forehead.

Dean squinted and took a step forward, not sure how to register her words.

"...Okay?"

Rory swam through memories of her past, the ones she'd shoved back and repressed for the sake of her own sanity. And as much as she tried to keep a level head and a calm soul about it, she was affected by pain and discomfort as if it were happening all over again, and all she could wish for in that moment was that she had Sam and Jo there by her side to help coach her through it.

Rougher than she meant to she set the cup down and took a step forward.

Dean blinked, not sure what was going on in her head, but he wished she'd just speak up already.

"Rory.."

"It's not easy. Reliving this over and over again. It kills me **every time**." Her hand reached up to rest over her chest.

Dean frowned hating seeing her so grim.

He couldn't help it though, the anger that began to bubble underneath his chest. She had something to confess. Something he knew wouldn't be easy to hear.

Something she'd waited to tell him.

* * *

 _ **1 Year Ago**_

 _ **Indianapolis, Indiana**_

 _Rory wiped at the corners of her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt before tilting her head back to gulp down an entire bottle of water._

 _She paused halfway, the feeling of nausea rising up her throat and choking her once more. It wasn't long before she was doubled over onto her knees regurgitating every bit of liquid she'd just consumed._

 _"What the hell.." She groaned, cradling her stomach and moving the hair away from her face in effort to gain some clarity in the moment._

 _She pushed back on her hands and let her body lean heavily against the side of her Mustang parked horribly on the side of the dirt road. Slowly she dug into her pocket for her phone and dialed the first and only person she wanted to hear from._

 _"...You've reached Dean Winchester. Leave a message at the beep..."_

 _"Dean?...look I don't know what I did-..." The tears fell uncontrollably, as if she'd opened the gates just by speaking his name aloud._

 _Knowing she wouldn't be able to form the words she so desperately needed him to hear, she hung up, and allowed the tears to run._

* * *

 **Present Day**

 **Topeka, Kansas**

"When you left where did you go?"

"Aurora I thought-"

"No please just-just tell me where you went." Dean shifted his weight and blinked.

"I was going to Stanford."

"But?" Rory waited expectantly for an answer, quirking a brow.

"Then I caught wind of a case and decided to take it on instead." Dean shrugged, not enjoying the interrogation one bit.

"Let me guess, Marshalltown?" She quirked a brow only to have Dean match her expression.

"How'd you know?"

"Hunters talk."

"Lester was a friend of Bobby's wasn't he?" He spoke, pushing the pieces together. Rory shrugged casually. He sighed eyeing the ceiling for a moment. If Bobby knew he'd left Aurora on her own than that meant he'd have to prepare to get shot the next time he ever saw him again.

"And suddenly Iowa was a trip for one?" She questioned crossing her arms over her chest, feeling the irritation return to her soul. She couldn't help it.

"It wasn't a trip." Dean deadpanned.

"Then what was it Dean? Because whatever it was, I'm finding it hard to believe we couldn't do it together-"

"I told you I just needed to get my head on straight!" He found that the longer this conversation took place, the quicker his usually calm and reserved demeanor slipped away.

"For six months?!" She yelled, unable to remain calm.

"YES FOR SIX MONTHS! IF IT MEANT I'D BE HAVING A KID IN NINE!" Dean bellowed, his nostrils flared with anger as his eyes flashed dark with grief.

The silence in the room was enough to suffocate them both as they stood across the way from each other. Deans mouth quivered slightly as his hands closed tightly into fists.

Rory choked on her words before she could spit them out. The shock settled plainly on her face for him and God to see.

"...Y-...you knew..." She whispered unable to get a rip on her voice.

"That you were pregnant? Yes I knew!" He returned, icily, flapping his arms up in defeat.

"I knew!" He repeated, feeling the weight slightly shift over his heavy heart. Rory jumped at the roughness in his tone.

For as long as they'd been in love, they'd always expressed how much that love meant to them, how much they wanted it forever, how much they wanted for each other, with each other. They'd discussed started a family, even getting married at one point, but due to their lifestyles, they held off on such a huge commitment and settled for just having each other. It was the logical thing to do.

But that didn't mean they were as careful as they should've been. Two careless young adults in love and on the road, they were bound to slip up, and eventually they did.

They slipped, once. And that apparently was all it took for Rory to get pregnant and for Dean to throw everything they had away.

* * *

 _ **1 Year Ago**_

 _ **Indianapolis, Indiana**_

 _Rory let her head fall back and hit the bathroom wall she was currently sitting against. Every emotion in her system ran wild as she registered the news._

 _Two lines._

 _"Fuck."_

 _It wasn't the flu. It wasn't a disease...and it didn't make sense. She'd taken one already, a week ago right before Dean had disappeared...it read negative._

 _How could it have been reading positive now._

 _Her eyes forced themselves back onto the stick in her hand, as if that were the only thing they knew._

 _Two blue lines displayed themselves clear for her to see and understand. She drew her gaze down to the floor by her feet where the other two positive pregnancy tests lay._

 _Her threw her head back knocking the wall twice, harder each time while she squeezed her eyes shut._

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1**. "Here With Me" - Susie Suh  & Robot Koch


	32. Rewind, Come Again

**Present Day**

 **Topeka, Kansas**

The realization hit her like a freight train and nearly knocked her back a couple of steps. There was a sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Slowly she closed in, step by step.

"..Y-..You knew and you didn't call?" She breathed and blinked, almost blinded by her fury.

Dean stood his ground, just as angry.

She'd crossed the room so quickly, like a blur, he almost didn't register the moment her hands flew up to shove him backwards, hard.

"YOU KNEW AND YOU STILL LEFT?!" Dean stumbled back a couple steps, but kept a stony expression, fighting against all of his emotions.

"YOU KNEW!" She bawled, shoving him roughly again before reaching up to slap him clean across his cheek.

Dean groaned, ignoring the sting, and held her hand in place while blocking the other one from making contact with him.

"Let-GO OF ME!" She struggled against his vice grip, hating the way this was all making her feel.

"Stop it!" Dean tried to get her to calm down.

"GET OFF OF ME!" She screamed, her voice surely reaching the room next door where Sam was probably listening in.

"STOP IT! AURORA-"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She ripped away from his hold and made for the door, the tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.

When she went to open the door, a hand stopped it and pushed it shut again. She spun around and pushed him once more. Dean let her, and stood the short distance away, staring with hostile yet saddened eyes.

"How could you **do** that? How could you-how could you just pick up and leave someone who loved you, someone who **needed** you?!" Her throat was burning with anger, and she could barely see past her blurry vision.

"I **needed** you Dean! I called you everyday for MONTHS! I called your dad after the accident I-I searched everywhere for you!" She screamed, the pain choking it's way up her throat.

"I WAS SCARED!-"

" **I** WAS SCARED!" Silence fell over them, the only soundtrack being their heavy panting breaths.

"I was scared something had happened to you! I was scared I was gonna find you in a ditch somewhere dead! I was scared I was gonna have to raise our son alone!"

Dean's heart stopped at the realization of her words.

 _A son...I had a son?...We had-_

"A son?" He spoke aloud, his lips quivering, eyes floating down to her flat stomach.

"Oh don't you try and soften the moment with that shit! Don't you dare! You don't get to do that! Not now!"

"The hell I don't he was my kid too!" Dean cursed, livid.

"How lucky was he to have a father that loved him so much?" Rory spat viciously. His eyes flashed dark and hostile. He paused after a moment.

The pain in his heart was suddenly unbearable as the grief set in.

"...What happened to him?" He asked, his worst fears manifesting right there in front of him in the absence of his child.

None of this was supposed to happen. This wasn't at all what he'd planned for.

"I miscarried." She answered without missing a beat wanting nothing more than to hurt him like he'd hurt her. Dean felt like he would be sick, his stomach began to churn as his head began to feel light and dizzy.

"Wh-...when?" He asked, feeling as though he'd been punch in the gut.

"It doesn't matter-"

"DAMMIT RORY WHEN?!" His chest heaved with regret, and suddenly the room was spinning, but he held himself upright.

"...July nineteenth...ten fifty-five at night." Roth answered tightly, her expression matching his perfectly.

"...Where?" He choked, tears pooling in his eyes.

Rory sniffed hers back, doing her best to remain strong while reliving the past.

She could still hear the doctors talking over her, telling each other that she was losing the baby.

"Pittsburgh-"

"SON OF A BITCH!" His rage had built up until it couldn't any longer, and forced him to to send his fist punching through the wall near the door just next to Rory who jumped up in fright, but remained silent.

She'd allowed the tears to fall quietly.

Dean ignored the sharp pain that shot up his arm, alarming him that he may have broken a hand and turned to pace the room. The tears streaming down his cheeks.

He couldn't understand. All he'd done, he'd done to protect her. He'd done it to protect the baby.

He kept his back to her for a long moment, and together, yet apart, they grieved for their loss.

Slowly he breathed in, looking up to the ceiling, eyes burning with salt water as he asked God why.

"Why?" He asked barely audible.

"...Too much damage." Her voice was low and shameful, and small, so unlike her.

Dean turned to face her, and Rory kept her gaze at her feet.

"I was on a hunt, and I-"

"You were hunting while you were pregnant?" He squinted, shaking his head as if he hadn't heard the words correctly.

There was no way Aurora would've been so stupid to go hunting while she was carrying a child, he wouldn't believe it.

"I didn't know what else to do without you Dean! He was a constant reminder of you, of us! And sitting around all day waiting for you to walk through the door?! It was too much! If I didn't hunt I would've...I don't know I just-"

"What happened?" He didn't care to hear her excuses. In his eyes nothing justified what she'd done so carelessly.

"I was hunting a ghost and...I got hurt pretty bad. And on my way to the hospital I-...my car spiraled out of control..The car flipped over. When I woke up I was in the hospital." She explained. He couldn't help but notice how calculated she looked, as if she'd told the story before, and the thought of that made his blood boil.

But still, he couldn't help but place himself in her shoes for the moment. He tried his best with the information she'd given him to relive the accident in his mind.

"Jesus Aurora." Dean shut his eyes, not able to picture the image of her laying unconscious and next to death in a car accident.

"They said there was too much trauma." She sobbed, her voice shaking with emotion.

* * *

 _The body of her beloved Mustang was practically eviscerated. Flipped upside down just off the side of the road, giving other cars the leeway to pass her by if need be. Her radio, usually turned on and at full volume was shut off, granting her little or next to no silence while the weight of her body lay pressed against the horn of her steering wheel. Her scraped eyelids lay shut, her mouth hung open allowing her crimson stained teeth to come into view while blood dripping teasingly slow from the corner of her mouth. Large shards of glass protruded from her collarbone, and dislocated arm._

 _There was barely any room to breath, and no other margin for error in an already catastrophic accident. Moving her probably would've been detrimental for her health._

* * *

They sat on opposite sides of the room, not sure how'd they'd even managed to put the space between them, Dean glanced over at her, his hands trembling as he shed silent tears for the loss of their child.

There weren't words to describe the hatred and disgust he had for himself and what he'd left her to go through alone. There was nothing that could justify his actions. He wanted to be angry with her so badly, he wanted someone to blame other than himself but his heart wouldn't allow it.

He knew he was wrong, and probably the sole reason for why she'd miscarried in the first place. If he'd been there, none of it would've happened. He could've protected her, he could've looked out for her.

"I wasn't prepared." He spilled, needing something to be said already.

"You thought I was?"

"Yes! Okay yes! I thought it was what you wanted, the whole apple pie life, the family, white picket fence, marriage...I wasn't ready."

"Yeah well neither was I Dean! I brought those topics up with the future in mind! It wasn't anything I wanted happening the next day, believe me, I knew you weren't ready to settle." She spat with hateful eyes. Dean bit his tongue, swallowing his harsh thoughts.

"And I thought by leaving, I would help keep you safe..." He chose to say instead.

"Leaving me in a strange town two months pregnant?"

"I'm a hunter Aurora, a damn good one, I hunt things that wanna hunt me back. Staying around you would've put you and the baby in danger–"

"I was in danger regardless of your presence! How could you not think that I wouldn't be if you were gone?! I'm a hunter too Dean! My father's a hunter! My friends are hunters!" She exclaimed, flapping her arms in the air before letting the fall to her sides.

Dean watched with shame filled eyes.

"I'm always gonna be in harms way. Being pregnant and alone didn't make things any more safer or easier. Especially without you." She said, tone aggressive aand inconsiderate.

"So please. Don't feed me anymore bullshit lines." She threw across the room looking away from him.

Dean chose then to push up from his seat and slowly advance towards her.

"You think it's bullshit?" He squinted rudely, gaze slightly manic as he closed in.

"Yes. I do-"

"Yeah well I think it's bullshit that you kept this from me for damn near a year!" He snarled bitterly.

"I didn't keep anything from you! **You** left!-"

"I was trying to protect you!-"

"Well me and my baby got hurt in the process!-"

"HE WAS MY BABY TOO!" Dean roared pointing to his chest as he grew enraged much too quickly for anyone to register the moment. His piercing wild eyes narrowed while his face burned with heat and blood that had settled under the skin there. His nostrils flared and Rory witnessed the vein down the center of his forehead protrude.

Rory remained still, eyeing him with just as much intensity, searching his gaze for the hatred she'd been trying to avoid for all those months of keeping Noah secret. She found it, faint, but present, swimming in the greens of his eyes.

Dean wanted to her, with everything he had he wanted to despise her very existence for keeping his child from him.

But he couldn't find it in him. It was like she could do anything, and he'd still always care for her.

But that didn't mean he couldn't be pissed.

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP THIS FROM ME!" Rory was up and on her feet in a flash, immediately closing the space between them.

"And you had no right to walk out that door last year." She hissed in a daring tone.

"You could've stayed, we could've worked things out! We could've talked Dean! We could've saw everything through together!"

"So what are you saying this is my fault?!" Dean furrowed his brows as he delivered a tense look, daring her to answer the way he expected her to.

Rory stared, not backing down for a moment, wanting nothing but to answer with the word at the tip of her tongue.

* * *

 _The bright fluorescent lighting was enough to blind her instantly the moment her sore lids ripped open. The agony shot up every part of her anatomy, specifically her stomach. A faint blur of long wires, hanging from what seemed to be an IV were caught in her line of sight before it was wiped clean by the light. The ringing in her ear was wildly present an almost unbearable._

 _"She's regaining consciousness."_

 _"Put her under now. She can't be awake for any of what's about to happen."_

 _Fear washed over her, blinding her sight and kissing each of her senses. Her eyes darted every which way, trying to focus and find anything other than the bright light above her, but failed miserably._

 _"Ma'am! Ma'am, it's alright. Do you know where you are?"_

 _Panic rose up her throat as she fought to yell, only to have it cut off by a strain and the feel of something being shoved down her throat. She jerked, and immediately felt hands making contact with her body, holding her down. The tears slipped down the sides of her face, disappearing into her hairline when she couldn't recollect anything prior to waking up._

 _"Do you know who you are?"_

 _Her hands turned to fists and she jerked again, trying to fight against the restraints, thinking only of the baby._

* * *

The scars were still visible, if Dean were to look hard enough, he'd find them. But Rory knew where they were, she could feel them without looking, see them. And in the near distance, just beneath the silence, she could hear the doctors and nurses working over her battered body. It was as if it were happening all around her all over again.

"You weren't there for me. You weren't there for us." She sobbed.

"...If you were there-"

"Don't. Don't you put that on me. Don't you try and **blame** me for my sons death or for your accident, that's not fair! It's not like you were out being careful or anything! You were hunting for Christ sake!" Dean erupted, brows drawing close together as he glared and thinned his lips.

It was a blow to her soul.

"So your-you're blaming me?" She choked, allowing the tears to fall tortuously slow down her cheeks. Dean's silence was answer enough.

It was too much. Too overwhelming, too bruising. Reopening that wound had caused her to tumble face first into her past without a way out. She felt trapped, anxious and short of breath. The air had turned thick, it was beginning to choke her.

 _I can't do this. I can't-_

"I can't-" She made a run for it, swift and without another word she went for the door, spinning on her heel before Dean could reach out to stop her escape.

It hurt like hell, reliving the pain as if it were just a few hours ago.

She let the door slam shut behind her, and allowed the sobs to wrack her chest as she wiped furiously at her slick cheeks. Her feet traveled down the way towards no place in particular, so quick she hadn't even heard the click of the door opening behind her.

"Rore?" Sam called out to her, worry sitting on his features as he watched her speed off on feet.

He knew things didn't go well.

"...Aurora!"

* * *

 **Bismarck, Kentucky**

 **1 Week Later**

Rory was distant, physically and mentally. The breeze blew gently against her olive toned skin as she stared out into the open with glassy eyes.

Sam busied himself looking at a map laid out on top of the Impala while Dean had his phone pressed to his ear listening to a voicemail.

Things were nowhere near functional between the group. Needless to say, they could barely carry on an entire conversation without biting each other's heads off.

Rory was just about done with the situation, and desperately wanted her space. It was draining her, being around Dean, and having Sam constantly ask if she were okay wasn't helping her get over the situation either. It was a constant reminder.

It had been almost a week since Rory and Dean had spoken about Noah. Neither could bring themselves to speak on the subject again, it being too painful. Things felt better left unsaid. For Dean at least. It was the only way he seemed to cope with it all. Finding out about the miscarriage was enough to send him into overdrive, deteriorating any of the patience he had left. Staying silent was what he felt was best for the group.

"Ok. I think I found a way we can bypass that construction just east of here. We might even make Pennsylvania faster than we thought." Sam spoke, pulling Rory out of her reverie. She waiting patient and expressionless with arms crossed over her chest as he spoke, wanting nothing more than to scream on the outside like she was internally.

Dean lowered his phone with a thoughtful expression, deciding on his next words carefully.

"Yeah. Problem is, we're not going to Pennsylvania." He started, gaining a glance from Rory. She kept her stony expression set, waiting to hear what he had to say, already able to feel the irritation settling under her skin.

"We what?" Sam asked, paying Rory a look of confusion.

"I just got a call from an, uh, old friend. Her father was killed last night, think it might be our kind of thing." Rory blinked at his words, trying to register each with a level head, though she was sure once she figured out what he meant, she wouldn't like it. There was something lingering in his eyes, she could swear it was worry, or concern, all of which he never showed for women outside of..well..her, not unless they had some kind of history.

Dean didn't have any female friends, none that she knew of at least. Which meant one thing to her.

 _An ex-girlfriend._

"What?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Believe me, she never woulda called, never, if she didn't need us." Dean spoke, moving to get back in his car, not even bothering to acknowledge Aurora on the way in. She watched him icily, clenching her jaw and biting her tongue, trying her best to keep her thoughts to herself.

Sam swallowed, catching the look on Rory's face, knowing it well enough to know that she was about to say something she'd most likely regret. He cleared his throat, calling for her attention, and Rory followed the sound to his lips before carrying her gaze up to his own. A sigh left her lips, and her shoulders dropped as she softened in the eyes.

"Come on, are you coming or not?" Dean asked Sam, not caring the least about Rory in that moment.

"Rore?" Sam asked, earning an eye roll from the older Winchester.

"...Not. You guys go ahead. I have somewhere I need to be." She answered, flickering her dull gaze onto Dean, who refused to meet her eyes but could feel them burning a hole in his temple.

"Wait-wh-..you can't leave." Sam protested, not wanting for any of this to happen.

"I have somewhere I gotta be Sam." Rory moved to open her car door before getting in. She turned the keys in the ignition, bringing her Mustang to life.

"What? Where?" Sam argued, feeling fed up of being in the middle. He just wanted them to fix things already, and knew they couldn't if they were miles away from each other.

"Home." She answered calmly, throwing her gaze unto him. It was then that Sam saw the exhaustion in her eyes. He could see all the emotion swimming around and eating away at her. It was the same look he'd find in Dean whenever he looked closely at him.

"Wh-Dean-"

"Sam if she wants to leave let her leave. C'mon." Dean bit, earning a bitter scoff from the Singer. She pulled the gear into drive before paying Sam a look.

 _Maybe it's for the best. Maybe you just need space right now,_ she thought.

"...I'll call you." She spoke solely to Sam, who gave sad eyes. He hated that both the people he cared about were hurting, but knew if they were gonna fix things, they'd have to do it themselves, their own way. He couldn't force them.

"Be safe." He told her.

"You too." Rory told him, delivering one last look to Dean, who kept his eyes forward with a stony expression. She wondered who the woman could be, if she were beautiful, or if she had qualities that she lacked. She wondered if this woman was where Dean could've been when she needed him most. So many thoughts raced through her mind that she had to take a second to breathe and refrain from lashing out at him.

Rory waited one more moment before driving off.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1.** "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore" - James Morrison


	33. A Different Route

**Bobby's**

 **Souix Falls, South Dakota**

 **May 2nd, 2006**

"I uh, I didn't get the chance to ask him about..how he knew.." Rory spoke before taking another swig of her cold hunters ale. Her hand held the bottle by its neck between her legs as she sat on the front steps of the porch.

 _"He said he found a pregnancy test in the bathroom garbage."_ Sam answered with a sigh. Rory blinked her eyes closed long and hard for a moment before shaking her head with realization.

 _Wait—_

"But that test was negative, how-"

 _"He didn't stick around to read it. He kinda just saw it and freaked."_

"Typical." Rory rolled her eyes in annoyance. Even the slightest thought of Dean made her want to punch through something. It was an anger she was finding hard to shake, though she was sure it also had to do with the fact that she too was to blame. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he was right. She didn't have to keep Noah from him for so long. She was sure if she'd come out with it sooner the damage would be a little less detrimental to their already tarnished relationship.

 _"I just don't understand why he wouldn't just tell you he knew."_ Spoke Sam, causing her to chuckle with a hint of bitterness. She took another swig, longer this time.

"...An ex-girlfriend huh?" She changed the subject, no longer wanting to feel the weight of her broken relationship with Dean on her shoulders. It was becoming too much for the moment.

 _"Her names Cassie. Seems like it was pretty serious."_ Sam responded, voice unsure. He didn't wanna hurt her anymore with the information he knew, but he couldn't keep it from her either. He'd learned over the last few days just how bad things could get within this group if they kept things from each other.

"I assume so if he traveled all the way to Kentucky for her." She clicked her jaw before falling silent.

 _"...You okay?"_ Sam's concern laced voice leaked through the receiver, causing her to groan.

"No. I'm pissed Sam, and if you ask me that question one more time I'm gonna kick your ass." Rory barked, not meaning to come off so harsh. She just couldn't help it these days.

The anger was consuming her.

 _"I just don't like seeing you this way."_ Sam spoke, overlooking the attitude. He knew she was hurting, and wouldn't hold it against her. Rory sighed, no longer able to hold him in contempt.

It wasn't Sam she was angry with after all.

"I know, but I'm just hurting. Nothing I haven't done before. I'll be okay. We'll be okay. Eventually." She spoke, not sure how much she believed her own words.

 _"I know."_ He replied. The line went silent for a moment as Rory swam through her thoughts of where Dean could've been in that moment, and what he could've been doing with Cassie. she could feel the bitterness crawl it's way up her spine and grimaced.

"I never used to be this person." She sighed, running a hand through her straightened hair which shed found the time to do after taking a well needed shower when she'd reached home.

 _"So you seriously didn't know about her?" Asked Sam._

"I knew about a girl he hooked up with in Ohio while we took a break way back while you were enjoying your fancy college libraries, I just didn't know that it was...this serious. He told me it was nothing...Man I hate Ohio." She shook her head, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.

 _"I'm sorry Rore-"_

"Don't apologize Sam. It's not you who needs to. Your brother is and has always been a jackass. If he wants to go out and rekindle old flames because he's too much of an asshole to commit to me, let him. We're better off how we are if that's the case." She settled the empty beer bottle on the step just next to her feet and pushed up from her spot to stand straight.

 _"That's not true. Dean's just stubborn and angry. He'll realize he's wrong soon enough I know it."_

"Yeah well, in the meantime, I've gotta handle some things on my own."

 _"Will I regret asking what those things entail?"_

"I'm angry. I need to blow off steam, and since I can't fight Dean, I need to find another option. Maybe go into town and find a gym or something. And I gotta call Missouri, figure out what the hell all these dreams mean. And probably pick up some cases on my own."

 _"...Will you come back soon? It's not the same without you."_

"...I don't know. I wanna be able to eventually, I just-...things were said. I need to get over them." She pinched her nose before looking to the sky for clarity. Her feelings were deeply hurt by some of the things Dean had told her, and she couldn't shake the look of disgust in his eyes. It hurt even more not knowing whether it was meant for her or the situation.

"He'll come around Rore." Sam promised just as Bobby's faint voice was heard in the far distance.

"...I gotta go. Dad's calling for me out back. We're tuning up Thor before I head out."

 _"You mean he's tuning up Thor while you sit out front and drink beer."_ Rory snorted in amusement.

"You're hilarious." Sam's light chuckle was enough to ease the transition of her emotions. A calm pushed itself into her heart for the time being, causing her to smirk.

"..Happy Birthday, Sammy." She wished aloud, sad that she'd have to miss celebrating it with him all because of her situation with Dean. She knew Sam was never into birthday celebrations, but there was always a tradition with the two of them. One she didn't intend on letting die.

She kept her idea in mind for the next time they saw each other.

 _"Thanks Rore."_

She didn't bother replying, and hung up. At the sound of her name bein called again, she let her feet travel down the steps and carry her out around the house towards the yard where she knew she'd find her father.

"Coming!"

* * *

 **Soooo! Things have kind of taken a turn huh? DONT HATE ME! Haha I really just wanted for you guys to get a better look at what happened while Dean was away and what Rory really had to endure.**

 **Tell me your thoughts I wanna hear everything! The story's really only just beginning! I have so much more up my sleeve and I can't wait for you all to see! If you think things are crazy now...**

 **LOL! Okay! Leave your love as always, and I wanna take a moment to appreciate and thank everyone who's followed favourited and reviewed! I LOVE ALL OF YOU! And I love the feedback I'm getting! It makes my day!**

 **There should be another add up sometime today so stay tuned!**

 **xoxo**


	34. The Benders Pt I

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish**!

* * *

 **Sorry for the wait my loves! Things have been kinda hectic!**

 **Where can I start? AH yes! Of course I have to thank you all did the very kind words and show of support! I appreciate all of you individually! Hopefully I have time to name you by next chapter. You'll see that I've done a little time jump once again and I promise you'll come to understand why! Like I said, I don't be writing every episode in!**

 **I appreciate you all!**

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 **Ill let you get back to reading now :)**

 **enjoy**

* * *

 _"Alright. This is getting tired." Aurora stood to her feet, not sure how she'd even come to settle on her knees in the damp and tall rich green grass littered with lavender and dandelions._

 _She eyed the lion carefully, but kept a steely gaze as she brushed off some of the dirt from her knees._

 _"Just tell me what you want from me already." She told it, noticing it's silence. It never made to move like before, and it didn't seem to have any particular expression in its features._

 _She grew confused and agitated._

 _"C'mon!" She yelled daringly, frustration bubbling under her chest._

 _"..What do you want from me?!" She pressed with a forceful tone earning a growl that rumbled in its throat. She remained still, keeping her eyes on its, not backing down for one moment. She could feel the anger coursing through her veins._

 _"C'MON!—"_

 _She didn't have the chance to react before the beast let a loud roar rip right passed its mouth and launched itself forward at her, claws stretched out ready to tear away at her. The force it hit her with was enough to knock the wind out of her once she hit the ground._

* * *

 **Hibbing, Minnesota**

 **May 15th, 2006**

 _"_ Aurora!"

She gasped and jerked up out of her deep sleep. A sharp pain shot right up her spine and pulsed in the back of her head Where se reached behind to touch. She winced at the sting and pulled her hand away only to find the tips of her fingers covered in slick blood.

"Ahh..what the hell?" She groaned, reaching behind her head again.

"Rory! Hey, you're okay." Her eyes shut slowly as she rolled her neck, trying to ease the stiffness in it.

"Rore, it's me. Hey." She slowly turned her head to the left where she'd heard him, squinting through the dark only to find none other than Sam there. She pushed herself onto her side, groaning in pain as she moved. Her body was sore as if she hadn't moved it in days.

"Sammy? What the hell?–"

"It's alright, take it easy." Sam spoke softly, moving to help her sit up

"What are you doing here? Where-...where is here?" She squinted in utter confusion.

"I don't know." He answered before another groan cut across the silence, gaining both of their attention. Rory allowed Sam to pull her towards him in effort to keep her out of harms way. Feeling too weak to fight his hold she complied, letting her body slide against the hard dirt ground. Her arm brushed up against the cage door, and it was then that she realized that she was in one.

 _What the hell—_

"You're alive." Sam spoke, cutting off her thoughts. The man in the cage beside them groaned again as he came to.

"Hey, you okay?" He continued to question.

"Does it look like I'm doin' okay?" Answered the man, agitation settled in his tone.

"Where are we?" Asked Rory with a strained voice, ignoring his attitude.

"I don't know. The country, I think. Smells like the country." He answered.

"You're Alvin Jenkins, aren't you?" Spoke Sam, causing Rory to still with realization.

"Yeah." Alvin answered, earning a sigh from them both.

"Dude. I was lookin' for you." Said Rory, shaking her head in disappointment.

This is a horrible case so far, and she was regretting ever taking it.

"Oh, yeah?" Alvin voiced.

"Yeah. And I was looking for her." Rory's puzzled gaze fell on Sam then, not sure what he was talking about at first, until the pieces starting pushing together. Sam could see the confession settling on her face, and wondered if she was even aware of how long she'd been off the grid.

"Huh?" She asked with a puzzled expression.

"You've been missing for days." He told her, earning a long blink in return.

 _I'm a missing person_ , she thought.

"Son of a bitch." She cursed to herself, not understanding how she could've let this happen so easily. For someone as trained and stealthy as she was, it didn't make sense for her to be in a predicament such as the one she was in now.

"Well, no offense, but this is a piss-poor rescue." Spat Jenkins, and she couldn't agree with him more.

"Well, my brother's out there right now, too. He's lookin' for us. So—"

"So, he's not gonna find us. We're in the middle of nowhere." Alvin nodded towards the door leading into the place.

"Waiting for them to come back and do God-knows-what to us." He finished.

"What are they? Have you seen them? Rory what do you remember?" Rory wracked her memory for any clues or answers she could give Sam.

"I-I just remember being at my car, reading over some intel about Jenkins before I was struck from behind. I didn't get a look." She grimaced, reaching up to touch punctured spot on the back of her head again. Just the mention of being hit from behind causing the back of her head to throb.

"What are you talking about?" Jenkins cut in.

"Whatever's got us, what'd they look like?" Sam asked again.

"See for yourself." Jenkins spoke just as the door to the building opened and two men wearing black coats and hats walked in. One man walks over to Jenkins' cage and kicks the side of it. Jenkins, fearing the men, jerked and moved back into the corner. The other man walked over to a panel of buttons attached to a pole in the middle of the room. Rory followed him closely with her eyes as he insert a key into the panel and twisted it. Jenkins' cage unlocked and in walked the men.

"Leave me alone! Don't you take me, leave me alone!" Jenkins begged. Rory wished she could do something, but knew the odds were against both her and Sam, being both injured and unarmed.

The men placed a plate of food in front of Jenkins and together left the cage and walked back over to the panel. One of the men twisted the key again and removed it, which locked the cage.

Rory couldn't believe her eyes.

"Oh you've gotta be shitting me.."

"I'll be damned." Sam broke the silence, looking to Rory who seemed to understand exactly what he was thinking.

"They're just people." He said.

"Yeah. What'd you expect?" Alvin spoke.

"How often do they feed you?" Asked Sam, looking from both Alvin and Rory, though the latter had come up with nothing for an answer.

"Once a day. And they use that thing over there to open the cage." Alvin pointed to the panel. Rory followed his direction, knowing that if they were ever going to get out of there, that panel would play a major role.

"And that's the only time you see 'em?" Asked Sam.

"So far. But I'm waitin'."

"Waiting for what?" Both Sam and Aurora questioned.

"Ned Beatty time, man." Answers Alvin, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I think that's the least of your worries right now." Sam told him whilst Rory took a moment to analyze the caged dungeon she was in. It was definitely built with torture in mind, and the very thought of what could've gone on before her presence in it made her skin crawl.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What do you think they want, then?" Asked Alvin. Rory tapped Sam's shoulder.

"Sam." She then pointed to the top of their cage where a long piece of metal wire was placed. Sam reached through the cage and grabbed the wire stretching from the top of the pole to the ground trying to pull it down.

"Depends on who they are." Rory answered for Sam while he worked at yanking the wire.

"They're a bunch of psycho hillbilly rednecks, if you ask me. Lookin' for love in all the wrong places." Jenkins spat with disgust, and Rory couldn't agree more as she watched Sam continue to pull on the wire, feeling a spark of hope when it gradually started detaching from the pole.

"I'll say." She muttered, wishing she'd never taken on this case by herself.

She shook her head when thoughts of Dean snuck their way to the front of her brain. He was the last person she'd wanted to see before she'd woken up, and now..

She couldn't wait to see him.


	35. The Benders Pt II

"They took my phone." Rory frowned with a heavy sigh after reaching into her pockets. She'd only then noticed just how roughed up and discombobulated she'd been after a few moments of gaining her clarity back and could see the number her captors had really done on her. Her leather jacket was missing, forcing her to be left in just her red, dirt smeared and sweat covered camisole. Her jeans looked as though they'd been dragged in mud, and there was a putrid scent dancing around her nose that she couldn't stand to sniff.

The grimace was set on her face.

Sam eyed her worriedly.

"Mine too. Don't worry, Dean'll find us." Sam spoke, an annoying hint of hope in his tone that Rory could only roll her eyes at. Even the mention of his name still caused her skin to crawl with guilt, but she couldn't fight the ounce of hope she felt under her chest as well.

She'd been praying silently that he'd find them.

Her shoulders slumped as she felt around her waistband for her—

"...My gun." She let her head fall back as stress climbed her back.

"We'll get it back said Sam as he continues to work on the beam over his head.

"What's your name, again?" Asked Jenkins looking to Sam.

"It's Sam." He replied. Rory scoot backwards so that she could lean against the further side of the gate to give I'm more space to right.

"Why don't you give it up, Sammy, there's no way out." Jenkins told him, Rory remained silent, still not able to believe she'd landed herself in this predicament. She looked to Sam for his reaction, knowing fully well how much he hated being called by his nickname.

"Don't….call me….Sammy!" He groaned, finally tearing the coil down. A small piece of metal fell to the floor landing by Rory's feet. She moved forward to grab it, holding it between her fingers, eyeing it as if it were their salvation.

"What is it?" Asked Jenkins, clueless. Sam reached for the object, taking it from Rory's possession.

"It's a bracket." Sam answered, earning a smirk from Rory.

"Well, thank God, a bracket. Now we've got 'em, huh?" Rory went to snap back with sarcasm just as the Jenkins' cage unlocked itself and opened.

Everyone froze, unsure of what was happening, or who was responsible. Aurora eyed the bracket in Sam's grip curiously, thinking maybe it was responsible.

"Must've been short." Jenkins spoke while climbing out of the cage. They watched him move.

"Maybe you knocked somethin' loose." He spoke, earning a headshake from the blonde.

"I think you should get back in there, Jenkins." Sam warned.

"I agree." Chimed in Rory, scooting back towards her end of the cage.

"What?" Jenkins asked, delivering a look as if they were crazy.

"This isn't right." Sam voiced, the confusion and fear laced in his tone. Rory showed the same emotions in her gaze.

"Don't you wanna get out of here?" Jenkins asked.

"Yeah. But that was too easy." Sam said.

"Way too easy, get back in the cage Jenkins." Rory spoke quick and quietly, putting her best to put two and two together, feeling as though she knew how this scenario went.

"Look, I'm gonna get out of here, and I'm gonna send help, okay, don't worry."

"No, I'm serious. Jenkins—this might be a trap." Sam tried to stop him desperately.

"See ya Rory. Bye, Sammy." Jenkins waved as he pushed open the door and left.

"Jenkins don't!" Rory whispered harshly.

"Jenkins!" Followed Sam, but Jenkins was already gone.

Sam kept his gaze on the door where Jenkins has disappeared through. After a moment the cage door slammed shut causing Rory to jump. Sam turned to face her, panic fighting to breach both their eyes.

"I've seen this before, in some messed up movie. They're gonna hunt him Sammy, for fun." Rory broke the silence, and it panicked Sam even more to hear the fear in her voice.

"..I know."

"We need to get outta here now."

"Don't worry, we w–"

A scream, distant yet bloodcurdling pierced their ears, making Sam no choice but to chew is words as he went to spill them.

Rory met his horrified gaze.

"Now Sammy."

* * *

"Aghhh! Come on! Let me outta here you sick sons of bitches!" Rory kicked and pulled at the rusted bars of her and Sam's cage.

"Rory!"

"No Sam! I screwed up! I-...I was supposed to save that guy, and instead he's dead, I'm captured and I dragged you and Dean into it. I'm responsible–"

"Don't. Don't blame yourself. How could you have known this was gonna happen."

"I can't even do my job these days..." He was suddenly able to see the sadness, and the possible reason for Rory's absence. The reason why she'd been so distant, and hesitant to reconnect with them.

She was still beating herself up.

"Rore..–" Sam was cut off when the door opened only to reveal the two men who'd come in earlier, but this time they were accompanied by another captive. A woman, unknown to them, and she was unconscious in the arms of the men as they dragged her over to what may have become her new home for the time being.

Rory covered her emotions with a steely glare as she met eyes with one of the men, he seemed to be younger than the other, and grossly attracted to her. The hairs on her skin crawled with disgust as she fought back the urge to vomit.

"In your dreams you sicko." She bit, earning a maniacal grin from him in return.

They drop the woman to the ground in a heap before leaving them alone, shutting the door heavy behind them.

Rory cringed knowing she'd feel it when she finally woke. She eyed her closely, taking her in for all that she could then, the woman was wearing a dirty white T-shirt, and her hair was down, and though it angered Aurora to know her fate, it also made her more determined to save her.

"Hey. Pssst. Hey you gotta wake up..." Rory tried, moving to the side of the cage where she could just reach through the space between their cages, but her arms weren't nearly long enough to touch her. Rory sighed, about to give up when the woman began to stir. Relief fell over both she and Sam when she groaned and began massaging her head.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Are you Sam and Aurora Winchester?" Asked the woman.

"Yeah." Sam answered for them, while Rory had to think for a moment, not sure just how she could've answered that, or if she were even worthy.

"Who're you?" She asked instead.

"Kathleen. Your, uh, your cousin's looking for you." Said the woman, wincing as she reached to massage behind her head. Rory was sure she was suffering from a concussion, maybe al three of them since it seemed they were all hit from behind.

Sam looked to Rory with relief, though he could still see the worry and trouble in hers.

"Thank God. Where is he?" He asked.

"I, uh—I cuffed him to my car." She answered, killing just about any hope that tried to enter Rory's heart. Sam sighed in defeat.

"We are so screwed." Muttered Aurora, just as the door opened yet again. Rory scooted back towards her spot fastest from the sole and Sam followed, whilst the woman seemed to take note and do the same unable to get a good look at who had entered. All she could see were feet.

"Can you see?" She whispered to her best friend, and Sam remained silent while trying to observe, confusing her when he broke out into a wide grin. She followed his gaze and found none other than Dean himself more relieved than ever to see them all in one piece.

Rory's heart plummeted into her stomach, and she did her best to keep her emotions under control.

"Oh thank God. Sam?" He called, his eyes only settling on hers for a millisecond before they shot over to his brother.

Rory felt a pang in her chest, but kept from reacting.

At least we're getting outta here, she thought.

Sam smiled with all the relief in the world.

"Are you hurt?" Dean asked, looking him over.

"No. Rory might have a concussion though." Sam spoke, earning no initial reaction from the older Winchester.

"Damn, it's good to see you." Dean expressed, hitting the cage.

"How did you get out of the cuffs?" Asked Kathleen, still a little dazed and confused from the blow to her head. Dean turned around and saw her, looking as if he hadn't realized she was there the whole time.

"Oh, I know a trick or two." He answered earning a stare from her in return. Rory pulled at the cage bars, signalling her need to be released before it was too late.

This is seemed way too close to hell for her, and she was desperate for her freedom.

"Alright." Dean reacted to the sound, moving to the door of the cage seeing the locks

"Oh, these locks look like they're gonna be a bitch." He stated, not at all enthused.

"Well, there's some kind of automatic control right there." Spoke Sam as he pointed to the control panel. Rory figured it was best if she let him do all the talking, since it seemed like Dean still wanted nothing to do with her existence.

"Have you seen 'em?" He asked.

"Yeah. Dude, they're just people." Sam answered.

"And they jumped the both of you? Must be gettin' a little rusty there, kids." Dean teased in his usual manner while walking over to the control panel to start trying different buttons.

"What do they want?"

"I don't know. They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. It doesn't make any sense to me."

"Well, that's the point. You know, with our usual playmates, there's rules, there's patterns. But with people, they're just crazy."

"I'll say.." Rory uttered under her breath.

"See anything else out there?" Asked Sam, prepared for a fight.

"Uh, he has about a dozen junked cars hidden out back. Plates from all over, so I'm thinkin' when they take someone, they take their car, too."

"Did you see a black Mustang out there? About ten years old?" Asked Kathleen earning their attention.

"Yeah, actually, I did." Dean replied.

Rory knew that look anywhere, being a hunter for so long, grief was like a second language.

"Your brother's?" Asked Dean, who also knew the look.

Kathleen nodded and Rory felt bad, not at all able to imagine how she would've been able to live had the same thing happened to Sam or Dean.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry."

She and Dean spoke at the same time, causing them to lock eyes on one another.

Dean paused, and Rory wasn't sure what else to do but look away.

"Let's get you guys out of here, then we'll take care of those bastards." He spoke again, pointing to the panel.

"This thing takes a key. Key?" He asked glancing momentarily at Rory. She shrugged causing him to look to Sam.

"I don't know." Answered the younger Winchester.

"Alright, I better go find it." Dean spoke as he moved to leave. Rory couldn't help but feel the void she'd been feeling for weeks tear deeper under her chest the further he walked away.

Fixing her lips she made to speak.

"Hey." Sam called, beating Rory to the punch. Dean stopped and turned to face Sam, though when he did, he met Rory's gaze first, holding it for a moment before he tore away.

"Be careful." Sam told him, stealing the words right out of Rory's mouth.

"Yeah." He answered Sam, though Rory felt as though it was an answer for them both.

Before she could form another thought, he was gone, leaving the three of them alone again.

"He's not your cousin is he?" Asked Kathleen, breaking the quiet.

Sam smirked and shook his head no while Rory watched the door where Dean had just walked through,

Praying he'd come back alive.


	36. The Benders Pt III

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned anything to do with Supernatural. Only the OC's belong to me. Though I do wish!**

* * *

 **As always I wanna thank all of my readers and thank you all for the love and reviews! It really makes my day! Im hoping how I break up the plot isn't too much for you! It just helps the story along and allows me to really being Rory's story to life! Anywho, I'll let you get back to reading now :)!**

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 **enjoy**

 **xoxo**

* * *

 **Hibbing, Minesota**

 **May 16th, 2016**

"He's taking too long." Rory thought aloud, knees tucked into her chest as she and the others waited patiently for their rescuer.

"Yeah.." Sam agreed under his breath, earning a look from Rory who was about to speak when the barn door opened suddenly, and in walked one of the captors. He walked over to the control panel, inserting the key she knew Dean was in search of, which meant nothing good for either of them.

 _Sometning must've happened to him,_ she thought just as the man twisted the key in the lock, operating her and Sam's cage door. It opened slowly, and Rory was on high alert, noticing the way he watched her.

Sam moved to protect her, ready to do whatever it took to keep her safe.

"What are you doing?" He barked as the man moved forward towards them. Kathleen looked on hopelessly and drsperate to help..

"Sam." Rory prepared herself, ready to accept her fate.

 _There are worse ways to go_ , she thought, staring down the barrel of the mans gun.

"No–"

"Sam move–"

"Hey!" Kathleen called, trying her best to distract.

Sam notices the bracket on the floor that he'd nearly forgotten about and grabbed it quickly before tossing it with impeccable aim just as the gun went off.

"SAM!"

* * *

Sam and the man are both out of the cage wrestling for the gun as Rory checks herself over for a gunshot wound. Once the shock had passed through her she was able to rush to her feet just in time to see Sam grab the gun and slam it into the man's face three times before he was knocked unconscious. They watched as he went down heavily, collapsing onto the ground.

"Sam shoot!" Rory told him making her way over to him. He tried to fire the gun, but it wouldn't budge, the trigger was jammed.

"Damn." he cursed, Rory looked around, her back slightly sore from not having stood up in days, but she ignored the pain.

"He's unconscious leave him. C'mon." She led the way over to Kathleen's cage in hopes of finding her a way out when she paused, an idea entering her mind. She looked over her shoulder passed Sam and at the unconscious manslaughterer.

"Actually, why not give him a taste of his own medicine?" She spoke, ripping her brow at Sam.

* * *

 _"They must have blown the fuses."_

Rory could hear as she and Kathleen moved inconspicuously around the barn, that of which was unusually spacious in her opinion.

"When trouble comes just hide, let me handle it, okay?"

Kathleen took a moment but answered with a silent nod. Rory took it as confirmation and led the way around the barn, entering another room away from oncoming danger, doing their best to stay unseen and quiet.

She wasn't exactly sure where Sam was hidden, but had all the faith in the world that he was okay.

Rory looked over her shoulder and gestured towards the cabinet they'd come across. Kathleen nodded, making her way towards it and as ate blonde went to open it with the initial plan of placing Karhleen in it to hide away from danger until it was safe to come out, but paused once she heard a noise coming from close by. She then pointed to the ladder behind them, gesturing for them to move quickly before anyone could see them.

From above she could see an older man, one who looked to be in charge of the entire dynamic. Rory was on one end of the upper level while Kathleen hid sucked in a corner on the opposite side.

Rory looked down onto the lower level, seeing the other man walk to the cabinet before he fired his rifle several times at the doors.

Rory's blood boiled at how easy it was for him to just pull the trigger knowing a woman might've been inside. It enraged her to know how easy it was for all of them to just kill innocent people.

She witnessed him open up the cabinet, only to find nothing but tools. He then looked around the barn, and Rory took that as her cue to leap over the banister and land on top of his back, wrapping her arms around his neck strategically while she wrestled him, trying to render him unconscious.

"Man you're huge!" She groaned, struggling to get the job done. It wasn't long before she was knocked to the ground. And in the near distance, she could hear Sam struggling with the other man.

"You stupid bitch!" Spat Rory's opponent aiming his gun at her, and in the matter of seconds, shots were fired.

"SAM?!" Rory screamed, not at all concerned with the crossfire shed been caught in. Just then Sam came running in seeing the position Rory was in.

"Hey!" He yelled, causing the menace with the weapon to spin and turn his aim on Sam.

"Sam duck!–"

"Woah!–" the killer fired the gun without hesitation, but Sam ducked away just in time to dodge it, and at that same moment, the other man walked in behind him getting hit with the bullet instead. Rory rushed up onto her feet as he hit the ground.

Sam took cover near Kathleen, who'd at some point joined the group.

The shooter cocked his gun after registering what he'd done to his man and turned around to finish the job, but Rory was much too quick for him, and appeared behind him and grabbing the gun from his possession just as Dean had taught her all those years ago. She jabbed it and hit him in the face with the rifle several times, until he collapsed, unconscious.

"Stupid bitch." She spat, tossing the gun down to the floor after placing the safety back on, heaving as she fought to catch her breath while turning to face the others behind her.

"Let's lock his ass up too." She breathed, holding both hands on her hips.

* * *

Sam and Rory placed one of the other killers in Kathleen's cage and closed the door. Rory followed him with her eyes as he walked over to the control panel and locked the cage. He then made his way over to Kathleen, who was standing over the older man, with her gun raised.

Rory followed him, eyeing her carefully, able to see the anger and grief striking her hateful gaze.

"I'll watch this one. You two go ahead." She spoke, Sam stared at her, remaining motionless as well as Rory.

She knew the outcome of the situation. She didn't need to ask questions. The answer was clear.

They killed her brother.

"Go ahead." Kathleen told them, and both Rory and Sam took the direction and left her alone to go and find Dean.

Exiting the barn was one of the strangest feelings for Rory in that moment. It felt as though she hadn't been outdoors in forever, and it took some getting used to for a moment before she adjusted to the different lighting. The moon was especially bright in the night sky, and she found herself promising to appreciate Mother Nature and God's creation more often, seeing that she nearly died not too long ago.

They crossed the way, and Sam led the way into the house, eager to get to his brother.

"Dean?!"

 _"In here!"_

Sam delivered a look of relief to Rory who sighted in return, happy to know he was safe. They followed his voice into a room where they'd found him tied to a chair, a little beaten up. Blood spilled from the side of his face and Rory cringed at the sight of him, keeping her distance as she stood by the door while Sam rushed to free him.

"You guys okay? I heard shots, I thought–"

"We're alright." Sam answered, though Dean wasn't completely convinced, seeing that Rory had chosen to remain silent.

He met her gaze and locked in, counting his lucky stars, glad that she was alright.

Rory wasn't sure howelse to answer but with a curt nod. She kept her lips right out of fear of spillin something better left unsaid.

Dean seemed to buy it and peeled away from her once the ropes had fallen slack around his wrists. He popped up onto his feet, holding his arm where Rory had noticed the shiny crimson stain on his shoulder.

"You were shot?" She spoke, lacking emotion as she pushed off the frame of the door.

"Worse. Branded." Dean wined, walking passed her out of the room.l with Sam in close second.

Rory snorted, and went to follow suit in last, but paused at the sight of something in a nearby corner of the room.

"Son of a bitch." She smiled, finding none other than her jacket, cellphone, and gun, along with one of her knives sitting amongst a pile of other belongings on an old table.

Reclaiming her things she grinned, happy to be reunited.

She checked her gun for ammo and scratches, and was relieved to find that all was well with her most prized possession.

" _Rore?"_

She heard Sam from outside.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." She spoke to her pistol as she walked out of the room, throwing her arms through the sleeves of her jacket as she moved.

She walked out the door and down the orchestra steps, feeling more comfortable back in her jacket, wearing it as a suit of armour and met the boys just as Kathleen left the barn.

They all met in the middle, unreadable expressions on all their faces, all but Kathleen. Rory was able to tell exactly what she'd been feeling, because she could feel it herself, as if it were her own emotions.

Anyone could feel her pain just by looking her in the eye.

"Where's the girl?" She asked trying to avoid the attention.

"Locked her in a closet. What about the dad?" Asked Dean. Kathleen paused, giving answer enough.

"Shot. Trying to escape." All four of them exchange a look.

"I would've done the same." Rory spoke up, earning a look from both Dean and Kathleen.

* * *

"I think the car's at the police station." Dean spoke as Kathleen followed behind closely, listening in to an operator on her walkie-talkie.

Rory squinted as a thought crossed her mind and she paused to look at nothing and no one in particular, fixing her lips to speak.

"..Where the hell is my-where the hell is my car?" She asked aloud, feeling her jacket pockets for her keys, sighing in relief when she heard them jingle in her left one.

"Probably still at the bar we found it outside of, or an impound lot." Sam answered in amusement causing Rory to groaned and throw her head back.

"Come onnn." She wined, even Dean couldn't hold back his smirk.

 _"Backup unit en route to your location."_

Kathleen approached the group.

"So, state police and the FBI are gonna be here within the hour. They're gonna wanna talk to you. I suggest that you're all long gone by then."

"Thanks. Hey, listen, I don't mean to press our luck, but we're kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think we could catch a ride?" Dean asked, earning an eye roll from Rory.

 _Definitely not getting a ride now._

"Start walking. Duck if you see a squad car." Kathleen answered.

"Sounds great to me. Thanks." Sam replied.

"Listen, uh….I'm sorry about your brother." Dean told her, earning a look of sympathy from Rory.

"Thank you." The emotion nearly choked Kathleen, and Rory had to keep from reaching out to comfort her.

"It was really hard not knowing what happened to him. I thought it would be easier once I knew the truth—but it isn't really." Kathleen paused.

"Anyway, you should go." She sniffed. Sam, Rory and Dean nod and walk away. Rory feeling more than eager to get back to her beloved Mustang. She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Kathleen and tossed a gentle wave her way.

She prayed the cop would find some peace after this.

"Never do that again." Dean spoke as they walked side by side.

"Do what?" Sam asked.

"Go missin' like that...you too." Dean said, glancing over at Rory who walked on the end to Sam's right. She was a little shocked at first to have him being so direct with her after so long. Sam laughed.

"You were worried about us." He teased.

"All I'm sayin' is, you vanish like that again, I'm not lookin' for ya."

"Sure, you won't."

"I'm not." Sam chuckled.

"So, you got sidelined by a thirteen-year-old girl, huh?" Rory chose to say, testing the waters.

Whatever relationship they had now, whatever base they stood on, was far away from where they once stood with each other.

...But it was a start.

"Oh, shut up." Dean responded as he usually would, which sparked a bit of hope in her.

Maybe they could get back to what they were to each other.

"Just sayin', gettin' rusty there, kiddo." Sam teased earning a smile from Rory.

"Shut up." Dean chuckled.

"So Rore...taking off once we get you back to Thor?"

The question, though it shouldn't have, took her by surprise. And being honest with herself, she wasn't sure how to answer. If he'd asked about a day ago, she would've been quick to say yes, but given what they'd just endured together, she didn't know if she was ready to part just yet.

She missed them, terribly. No matter how much they pissed her off.

Dean waited on the other end for her response, practically bursting at the seams, hoping and praying she'd just hunt with them again. He couldn't take never knowing where she was, or wondering if she were safe. Finding out she'd been kidnapped had nearly killed him. He was beside himself the whole time.

And though it didn't mean he wasn't still angry with her, it didn't mean he didn't want her around.

He always wanted her around.

"Let's just walk for now.." She answered with instead peering up into Sam's eyes before glancing at Dean who caught her look.

He cleared his throat and looked straight ahead, her grey piercing eyes embedded in his mind.

"That's fine with me." Sam replied, more than happy to have the team back together for the time being.

Rory let the words slip.

"Thank you. For saving me... **both** of you." She expressed, facing forward.

"Anytime." Answered Dean, to her surprise.

"What he said." Sam followed.

Aurora lowered her head to hide the smirk.


	37. I Went To Where They Lay

**Bobby's**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **May 2nd, 2006**

 _"I went to where they lay..." Slowly she placed the yellow tulip onto the grass, while she settled on her knees._

 _"Where tulips and hummingbirds play...where silence stays, a poem in hand, and you in mind, I found tranquility.." Her voice began to thicken with emotion, and in her heart she could feel the sadness swelling inside._

 _"We live, in different spaces, in different times.." Softly, she placed her palm open on the spot next to the flower, emitting an energy into the soil where just underneath lay a the body of her child. The blades of green grass grew richer in color and taller by a couple of inches, and with it, a couple of dandelions bloomed. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips._

 _"My love for you has overgrown, and stemmed into green, and blues in the sky, in heights so high it's impossible to forget your beautiful smile..the one you gave me forever to hold before you went..away to lay.." Her eyes stung with tears she refused to drop._

 _"...I miss you baby. Mommy loves you." She sniffed, raising her hand to her lips to kiss it before placing it back onto the ground._

* * *

 _"You always go out there." As Rory stepped through the back door, she was met by the grungy voice of her father. She snapped her neck to the left where she found him at the counter, leaning with a beer in hand, watching her quizically._

 _Clearing her throat she steaightendd her posture and swept a few strands of her behind her ears._

 _"No I don't." She answered. Bobby kept a set expression as he looked at her._

 _"Every month around this date, you come around if you're not already here, and you step outside, with a beer and a New Testament and you kneel in that spot near the corner where that last patch of grass is and you pray." He spoke. Rory looked down at the half-empty beer in her grip and then at the bible tucked under her arm._

 _The words backed up in her throat._

 _"You never used to do that until sometime last year." Bobby voiced._

 _"...I-"_

 _"You know I'm not a stupid man." Bobby blinked._

 _She knew. If there was anything she knew in this life, it was that her father wasn't a stupid man._

 _"Tell me."_

 _But he was wrathful._

 _"Ariel." She took a breath, putting her words into order before she spilled them._

 _"...I had a miscarriage."_

* * *

 **Motel**

 **Oakdale, Wisconsin**

 **May 30th, 2006**

She decided to stay. Just for a little bit.

Her heart wouldn't allow her to leave them, not after they'd nearly risked their lives to save hers, yet again. She couldn't let her anger towards Dean stop her from being the person they could always rely on, from being their partner, their family.

"..I told my dad about Noah and the accident." She told Sam as she and him say comfortably on the couch of her motel room eating takeout Chinese with chopsticks while watching an old time movie that neither one of them were really interested in. They were more interested in catching up with each other.

Dean had decided it was best he gave them their space while he hit up the town's local bar.

"Wh-...what did he say?!" Sam answered with a mouthful of noodles as his face filled with shock.

Rory chuckled softly, keeping her eyes on the television.

"Well at first, nothin' nice...I don't think he's ever cursed that much." She grimaced at the memory.

Sam chortled under his breath.

"That's not funny. He really tore me a new one. And Dean better not come around for a while if he wants to keep his pack intact."

"His 'pack intact' who are you Cat in the Hat?" Sam cackled earning an eye roll.

"Shut up, you know what I mean. That message was from dad personally too, so you'd better warn him."

"So Sioux Falls is off limits?" He grinned, all too amused by the situation.

"Sioux Falls is off limits." Rory dug into her food again, sticking her chopstick through a piece of chicken as silence fell around them again.

It was always comfortable with Sam. It offered her safety that she so desperately needed some days.

She took a deep breath and exhaled, holding her box of takeout with her utensils hovering over.

"...He cried."

The smile slipped slowly from Sam's lips and he turned to look at her. Rory could feel his gaze, but refused to meet his stare.

"He cried. For me. For Noah...really hard too, like...like he'd broken down or something."

Sam frowned deeply as Rory kept her gaze forward.

"I never realized how much of a toll it took on him..me being a hunter, and growing up and leaving him all the time just to do the job. It...it sucked for him. And it killed him to know that I nearly died and he found out a **year** later." She shook her head, pain and guilt striking her eyes. She set down her food in her lap and took a moment to gather herself.

"After I told Dean...I started to feel the guilt of keeping Noah a secret. It was building up. It was eating me alive. I saw what it did to you, and him, and it made me angry at myself knowing what it would do to my father. It makes me angry knowing what it'll do to John, or Mary.."

"You can't let it take over Rore–"

"I know. But it did...it is." She admit honestly.

"That's why I can't stay with you guys–"

"No it's why you should stay." Sam cut her off causing her to turn her head to him.

"You gotta stay Rore. You can't let the guilt and pain take over your life, and you can't avoid Dean forever. This is something you too need to do together." She scoffed, feeling the bitterness fight to get a better hold of her.

"We were supposed to do a lot of things together." She admit sending her gaze down to her fingers where the played with one another.

"...You still can." Sam spoke up.

Rory let his words sit and resonate with her.

* * *

Sam had knocked out on her couch, too lazy to go back to his own room and feeling comfortable enough to stay the night in Rory's. The exhaustion had taken him by surprise, both of them, but Rory's wouldn't allow her to sleep.

She had too much on her mind.

Three times she knocked, and after a minute or two and no response, she felt it was best to walk away from her attempt. As she went to turn her back, the click of the door caught her attention, and sooner or later, Dean had come into view sporting a blunt facial expression and tired, sleep filled jade green hues.

Rory swallowed, feeling her entirety surrender to the look he fed her. Even after time apart, their feelings for one another were still strong, and annoyingly present.

His brow raised in question.

"...Everything okay?" Dean shifted on his feet, clearing his throat and eyeing her over, trying not to let his breath get caught in his throat at the sight of her slender legs and toned arms as they wrapped around each other for comfort.

Rory took a deep breath as the build up in her chest began to overwhelm her.

"I **hate** hating you..." She admit, breaking her silence.

Dean seemed shock at the revelation, unable to register what she'd said he blinked and opened the door a bit wider so that his whole body could come into view. Rory looked down at her hands, playing with her fingers.

"I hate..not having you to talk to. I hate being angry at you. I miss-"

"I can't do this." His voice sliced through her sentence causing Rory to come to an abrupt stop. Her eyes snapped onto his and she could see it then, the hurt and pain and anger that he felt towards her. The same look he'd given her when she told him-

"What do you mean?-"

"This." He gestured between the both of them with a doubtful expression.

Rory frowned.

"Look we can be cordial, we can hunt, but we can't-...I can't..." Dean struggled hard to get it out, the pain and animosity towards her. He hated feeling it every morning when he woke and every night before bed. But every time he went to try and better their issues, the thought of his son kept him from doing so.

He just couldn't get over it.

Rory fixed her lips to speak.

"But-...don't you wanna fix this?" She breathed, finding it hard to ignore the tightness in her throat that felt like it would strangle her any moment.

Waiting for his answer was like waiting for rain in a drought. She tried to read the millions of emotions passing through his eyes as he tried to put the right words together.

But Dean couldn't settle on any, except-

"I **can't**." He shook his head slightly, his eyes beginning to sting with tears. He couldn't help but become emotional over the subject that was their relationship, and their son, and all that came between that.

Rory felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. She blinked repeatedly.

"I-..." Not giving her the chance to respond, he shut the door leaving Rory to stand alone in the night with nothing but her thoughts.

She stared at the door with glassy eyes, with the lone tear slipping over the edge and down her face. Sniffing she reached up and swiped at her cheek, nodding slowly as she accepted the possibility that maybe there was no fixing them.

Maybe they were just broken.


	38. Shadow Pt I

**Bar**

 **Chicago, Illinois**

 **May 31st, 2006**

Sam and Rory strolled easily into the bar together where she made plans to meet him and his brother after their investigation.

In her opinion it was best for their group that she stayed back and waited for them to send any info her way should they have found any, which they did. It was just easier for both her and Dean to give each other as much space as possible for the time being.

That, and she hated dressing up for gigs. She'd avoid that as best as she could.

He had no problem leaving her behind, feeling that the air had grown thicker when she was within his vicinity.

She wasn't surprised when she followed Sam inside once he came and got her and found Dean in the bar flirting shamelessly with some attractive bartender.

Sam looked around for his brother until Rory tapped him and pointed in a random direction. His shoulders slumped and he sighed.

"He wasn't doing this before I came and got you." He told her.

Dean, feeling eyes on him met Rory's and faltered for just a moment before he resumed his actions, taking one last drink and smiling goodbye to the cute bartender and leaving her to join them.

"See ya." She read on his lips as she followed Sam to the other side of the bar to find a seat. Shaking her head she pulled her eyes off of him, defusing the anger that threatened to bubble in her chest. She trained her eyes on the journal belonging to John instead, and found that the father would be a great distraction for the moment. Sam leafed through the pages of his father's booklet, and shortly after starting, Dean sat down across from him and next to Rory.

"I talked to the bartender." He revealed purposely.

She could faintly smell the liquor on his breath.

"Did you get anything? Besides her number?" Sam rolled his eyes displeased with his brothers actions. He knew it was probably killing Aurora to have to witness that.

"Dude, I'm a professional. I'm offended that you would think that." Sam offered him a knowing look, unimpressed.

"All right, yeah." Dean chuckled, holding up a napkin with the bartender's phone number on it causing Rory to avert her eyes quickly, looking anywhere but at her company. Dean smirked at her reaction triumphantly while Sam squinted his eyes at his brother with a questionable glare.

Dean frowned feeling chastised.

Rory wanted to shoot him in the leg for being so blunt.

"You mind doin' a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean?" Sam complained, nervous for what Rory's reaction might've been. He knew the two of them together, and knew just how unnerving things could get between them during off times. He would avoid it at any cost.

"Huh? Look, there's nothing to find out. I mean, Meredith worked here, she waited tables, everyone here was her friend. Everybody said she was normal. She didn't do or say anything weird before she died, so—what about that symbol, you find anything?" Dean snapped his fingers gaining slightly unwanted attention from Rory, who kept an expressionless look on her face. Her piercing grey eyes slightly darkened with annoyance.

"No." She answered flatly, earning a look from Dean in return. He knew he'd put her in an awkward situation, and couldn't be more pleased with himself. Sure his attitude towards her had been petty and passive aggressive, but he felt he had every right to act out.

She hurt him deeply. Case closed.

"Serious?" Dean asked with a tipped brow, looking to Sam for a better answer, thinking she was holding out just because she was annoyed with him.

"Nope, nothing. It wasn't in Dad's journal or in any of the usual books. Just have to dig a little deeper, I guess." Sam continued.

"Well, there was a first victim, right? Before Meredith?" Dean spoke.

"Right. Yeah." Answered Sam, pulling out a newspaper clipping concerning the first death. Rory tried to keep ears on the situation while she looked elsewhere, already having seen the paperwork. She's gathered it after all.

"His name was, uh—his name was Ben Swardstrom." Sam informed before handing the clipping to Dean.

Rory could see a few decent, handsome men in the vicinity, and couldn't help but think back to the last time she'd been on a date with one. Her lips pulled down in the corners in thought just before a tiny wave of nausea passed through her. She took in a sharp breath and turned her eyes onto the other end of the room where she spotted the bathroom.

What the hell? She thought with confused eyes.

Her eyes danced over every head in the room, knowing the feelings coming over her weren't by chance.

Something was off.

"Last month he was found mutilated in his town house. Same deal—the door was locked, the alarm was on." Sam continued to explain to his brother, knowing Rory was paying attention in some way or another. She was a great multi tasker.

"Is there any connection between the two of them?" She heard Dean, who's eyes flickered from the clipping to her side profile when he noticed she was barely paying attention. He mentally rolled his eyes, but held his gaze on her for a moment when he witnessed the look of discomfort on her face that she'd so obviously been trying to downplay.

"Not that I can tell—I mean, not yet, at least. Ben was a banker, Meredith was a waitress." Sam yapped gaining back Deans attention, just as Rory's eyes fell on the familiar face in the room.

"No fucking way.." She gaped just under her breath, thinking of the chances she'd ever see that person again. They were impossibly thin, so to seem them now could only mean that something here wasn't right. Her hand slowly reached up to tap Sam at the pace of a snail.

"They never met, never knew anyone in common—they were practically from different worlds." Answered Sam.

"Sammy..." Rory whispered. Dean tipped his brow at his ex in question of her odd behavior.

"So, to recap, the only successful intel we've scored so far is the bartender's phone number." He smirked smartly, earning a smack on the shoulder from Rory. He turned his eyes onto her about to apologize for possibly pressing a button but saw that she was fixed on something else.

Someone else.

He followed her eyes to the other side of the room.

"Dude. It's Strange Woman From The Side of the Road.." She uttered in mild shock, just loud enough for them to hear. Dean looked around, not sure who the hell she spoke of.

"What?" He asked as Sam hopped up and began walking away towards the woman.

"Sam be careful." Rory warned wanting to follow, but thought maybe it was best that she stayed put, the cloud of nausea still wavering over her head.

"Sam? Where's he going? Who's that?" Dean called after him looking between his brother and the short blonde haired woman with her back to them he made his way over to, but he only continued to walk away.

"Strange Woman From the Side of the Road.." Rory spike, voice unsure. Dean took note of her tone and looked back to the woman.

"I can't see her face, her backs facing us." He wined earning a squint from Rory as she zoned in on the Strange Woman's table and company.

"Her back's always facing us..." She uttered.

Sam finally reached the table, and put his hand on her shoulder causing her to turn around.

"Meg." He called her by name, unsure of what to make by this whole moment.

"Sam!" Meg beamed, way too happily for Rory's liking.

"This isn't weird at all." She voiced from her table with Dean who only gawked on with curiosity.

* * *

 **Soundtrack:**

 **1.** "Lonely Boy" - The Black Keys

* * *

 **Okay Soooooo we're off to a rocky start with the reunion of Dean and Rory it seems. I know you probably hate it as much as I do! What do you guys think so far? Do you think Rory deserves the treatment she's getting from him? Should she speak up? Share your thoughts! I'd love to hear em!**

 **Like always, LOVE TO ALL THOSE WHOVE BEEN REVIEWING AND READING! I APPRECIATE YOU ALL!**

 **COMMENT! REVIEW! COMMENT! REVIEW!**

 **Next chapter should be up by the end of the day!**

 **Hope you all enjoyed this one :)**

 **xo**


	39. Shadow Pt II

**Bar**

 **Chicago, Illinois**

 **June 1st 2006**

"Sam! Is that you? Oh, my God!" Rory and Dean watched with puzzled faces as the two embraced each other in a hug. Rory however could place the confusion in Sam's eyes and knew that he too thought that this couldn't have been a coincidence.

She sucked in a sharp breath trying to push down the nausea squinting her eyes tight enough for Dean to glance over and notice the discomfort. He kept his pointed gaze on her, and feeling it, she met his stare, immediately sobering up and clearing her throat.

"...I'm fine. We should get over there."

"What are you doing here?" They both turned their heads back to the situation at hand involving their brother.

"I'm just in town, visiting friends." Sam answered Meg.

"Where are they?"Meg followed his response with wandering eyes in search of the friends he spoke of.

Rory met eyes with her for just a moment, it was quick, but definitely felt. A sharp pain spiked in the front of her head, causing her to wince.

"We should head over there." She muttered more to herself. Dean hummed a response before pushing up from his seat and leading the way.

"Well, they're not here right now, but what about you, Meg? I thought you were goin' to California." They heard Sam ask just as they came up behind him. Rory did her best to see over Deans broad and tall frame. She stepped out to the side where she could see everyone better and momentarily caught eyes with the strange woman. Butterflies fluttered in her tummy evoking the same bitter feeling of nausea from earlier. Immediately she was on edge.

"Oh, I did. I came, I saw, I conquered. Oh, and I met what's-his-name, something Michael Murray at a bar." The girl answered earning a tipped brow from Rory.

 _Chad Michael Murray?! What the f-_

"Who?" Asked Sam, Rory whipped her eyes over to him in shock.

 _How could you not know about Chad Michael freaking Murray!_

"Wow." She uttered under her breath.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. Anyway, the whole scene got old, so I'm living here for a while."

"Interesting." Responded Rory causing all eyes to fall on her.

"Uh-Rore, this is-"

"Strange Woman From the Side of the Road, yes. I remember-"

"Uh-Meg. This is my best friend Rory."

"Strange Woman From the Side of the Road? Not sure what that means.." Meg chuckled loosely, unsure of what to make of the woman before her. Rory shrugged in response and the two continued to hold each others stare for a few seconds, and the boys had no choice but to witness the entire exchange with confused faces.

Rory couldn't understand what it was about her, why she made her feel the way she did, why she was so on edge now that she'd gotten a better look and feel of this stranger.

"Well it's..nice to meet you Rory." Replied Meg, earning a tight-lipped smile from Rory in return.

Dean his throat loudly, but was ignored.

"So you're from Chicago?" Sam went on to ask.

"No, Massachusetts—Andover."

 _Sure,_ thought Rory with squinted suspicious eyes.

"Gosh, Sam, what are the odds we'd run into each other?" Meg beamed, asking the one question that had been burning holes into Rory's mind.

"Yeah, I know, I thought I'd never see you again." Said Sam.

"Well, I'm glad you were wrong."

Rory's eyes flickered from left to right, looking at the two as they shared their moment. She could sense that there was something between them, something blossoming under the surface of their acquainted relationship, and if she were being hones t with herself, she wasn't sure she liked it.

Dean clears his throat again, louder so that he had no choice but to be heard.

"Dude, cover your mouth." Meg spoke, turning to look him in the eye with an attitude. Rory's face was washed with shock.

"Yeah, um, I'm sorry, Meg. This is, uh—this is my brother, Dean." Sam introduced, earning a surprised look from his friend.

"This is Dean?" She asked.

"Yeah." Sam replied as the grin spread across Dean's face.

"So, you've heard of me?" He asked, the smug look on his face causing Rory to roll his eyes.

"Oh, yeah. I've heard of you. Nice—the way you treat your brother like luggage." Meg spat.

Rory gawked, looking from her to Sam with an incredulous look while Dean looked genuinely confused.

"Sorry?" He asked her to repeat.

"Why don't you let him do what he wants to do? Stop dragging him over God's green earth." Meg chastised rudely.

"Sam." Rory warned, feeling her irritation for the young woman rise in her throat.

"Meg, it's all right." Sam spoke trying to calm her down. The four of them looked around quietly as the awkward air around them threatened to choke them. Dean whistled lowly.

"Okay, awkward. I'm gonna get a drink now." He threw Sam a puzzled look before landing his eyes on Rory who matched his expression.

She watched him walk away and turned her eyes back to the rude stranger who seemed apologetic enough.

 _Where the hell does she get off? And just what the hell did Sam tell her?_ Rory thought.

"Sam, I'm sorry. It's just—the way you told me he treats you...if it were me, I'd kill him."

"But it wasn't you, so maybe it's best to keep your mouth out of business that isn't yours." Rory spat before leaving the circle.

 _"It's all right. He means well."_ Rory shook her head and rolled her eyes as their voices grew distant from behind her the further she walked away.

Her first thought was to head over to the bar to check on Dean, but her right mind was smart enough to tell her how much of a bad idea that may have been. She saw the eyes the bartender fed Dean.

Nausea waved through her again, and she paused halfway over and rerouted her steps towards the entrance of the bar.

* * *

Rory was sitting comfortably on the trunk of her car, twiddling her fingers while the light breeze blew passed her face, cooling her cheeks. The chilly air was enough to sooth the discomfort she'd been feeling. She wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting out there, alone and deep in thought, but she thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet for the time being. But it wasn't long until the sound of oncoming footsteps snapped her out of her daze. She looked up in time to see Sam and Dean approaching her car which was parked just a little ways away from the Impala across the street.

"Who the hell was she?" Dean asked them.

"A smart ass." Rory answered with distaste in her voice, eyeing Sam who purposely avoided her glare.

"I don't really know. I only met her once. Meeting up with her again? I don't know, man, it's weird." Sam expressed.

"I'll say." Rory agreed, leaning her elbows onto her knees.

"And what was she saying? I treat you like luggage? What, were you bitchin' about me to some chick?" Dean chewed Sam out. Rory kept her lips shut tight, knowing the moment was bound to happen, and like always, she wasn't getting involved.

"Look, I'm sorry, Dean. It was when we had that huge fight when I was in that bus stop in Indiana. But that's not important, just listen—"

"Well, is there any truth to what she's saying? I mean, am I keeping you against your will, Sam?" Dean yelled, and Rory sighed feeling the tension grow.

"No, of course not. Now, would you listen?" Sam argued not wanting to argue.

"What?" Dean barked.

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, Dean." Sam expressed with concern, sparking interest in Rory who couldn't help but highly agree with her best friend, and also couldn't help but feel some relief that someone other than her had felt the strangeness about this whole situation.

"Yeah, tell me about it. She wasn't even that into me." Dean sulked. Rory scoffed in disgust and annoyance.

"No, man, I mean like our kind of strange. Like, maybe even a lead." Sam corrected, frustration fighting to burst in his chest.

"Why do you say that?" Dean asked curiously while Rory continued to listen silently.

"I met Meg weeks ago, literally on the side of the road when Rory dropped me off. And now, I run into her in some random Chicago bar? I mean, the same bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural? You don't think that's a little weird?"

"I don't know, random coincidence. It happens." Dean shrugged.

"Even you're not this stupid. Or blind." Rory rolled her eyes earning a look from Dean in return.

"Yeah, it happens, but not to us. Look, I could be wrong, I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on." Dean smirked.

"Well, I bet you'd like to. I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?" Sam playfully rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Why is this suddenly a joke? Wh-what am I missing?" Rory asked puzzled looking between the two brothers.

"Maybe you're thinkin' a little too much with your upstairs brain, huh?" Dean pointed to his head and grinned as Sam delivered a serious gaze.

"Oh dear God, save me already." She turned her eyes heavenward praying under her breath as Sam chuckled in amusement. She prayed that the crush Dean was accusing him of having for Meg was anything but true, because she knew that if it came down to it, and Meg was the evil in the equation, she would terminate her without question. And she had a feeling she'd have to, given the way she felt whenever the strange blonde was around.

It was just too weird. Too good to be true.

"Do me a favor. Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and Rore you see if you can't dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor." Sam instructed the group. Rory nodded.

"What are you gonna do?" Asked Dean.

"I'm gonna watch Meg." Answered his brother.

"Little Sammy, all grown up huh?" Rory joked sarcastically. Dean couldn't hide the laughter behind Rory's comment.

"Yeah, you are." He joined, earning a genuine smile from Rory. She was happy to know she could at least evoke some kind of positive reaction from him.

"I just wanna see what's what. Better safe than sorry." Sam replied.

"All right, you little pervert." Dean teased earning giggles from Rory.

"Dudes." Sam complained.

"I'm goin', I'm goin'." Dean crossed the street making his way over to the Impala.

"I'll uh, go see what I can find on this weird ass symbol. You be careful. Call if you need anything." Rory spoke, hopping off the trunk of her beloved vehicle and rounding it over to the drivers side.

Sam nodded, watching his team leave.

* * *

Aurora sat quietly and to herself, staring intently at her laptop screen as she scrolled through the different symbols she'd been looking into. ON the other side of the room sat Dean who was also too caught up in his research on Meg Masters to be engaged in any kind of conversation with Rory. The two were working surprisingly well together in the silence given how much they couldn't stand each other. And if it were up to Rory, she would've gotten her own room, but she was too low on funds to support herself for the time being, and somehow had lost her wallet full of fake credit cards.

She shook her head as she thought back to the moment she realized it was missing.

Dean caught the movement and glanced up from the computer.

"What?" He asked, shakign Rory out of her thoughts. She rose her brows in question when she found Dean looking right at her and opened her mouth to speak.

"Uh, nothing. Just...nothing." She quickly averted her eyes back down to her work and did her best to ignore the weird look Dean was giving her. He shook his own head in return.

"Women..." He muttered just loud enough for her to hear, causing her to roll her eyes.

"You think he's okay?" She decided to speak, not wanting to leave the air so thick with tension.

Dean pursed his lips ad picked up his phone to dial his brothers number.

"Let's find out." He told Rory, who looked over at the phone in his hand.

"Speaker." Rory mouthed, and Deena did as he was told just as Sam picked up.

"Hey."

"Let me guess. You're lurkin' outside that poor girl's apartment, aren't you?" Dean smirked.

"No." Sam answered, and Rory tipped a brow hearing the nerves in his voice. Dean waited patiently for a response he knew was coming as he fed Rory a knowing look.

"Yes." Sam suddenly replied evoking chuckles from the young blonde.

"You've got a funny way of showin' your affection." Dean spoke.

"The goal is to knock on the door Sammy, not stare at it all day." Rory spoke with a smirk loud enough for the young Winchester to hear, glancing back down to the computer screen as she picked up her pen and pad to write down the information she'd found on the symbol.

"Did you find anything on her or what?" Asked Sam, frustration lacing his tone.

"Sorry, man, she checks out. There is a Meg Masters in the Andover phonebook. I even pulled up her high school photo." Dean answered.

"That's unfortunate. I was hoping something was wrong with her so that it could justify why I don't like her." Rory commented earning a small smirk from Dean. He would never fall out of love with her sass. It was always a trait he loved about her. Clearing his throat and catching himself, he sat up straight.

"Now, look, why don't you go knock on her door and, uh, invite her to a poetry reading, or whatever it is you do, huh?" He teased Sam. Rory shook her head, knowing that Sam would definitely do all of what he had said.

"What about the symbol Rore? Any luck?" He ignored Dean and asked. Rory sat back and leaned against the pillows she had propped up behind her on the bed.

"Uh duh." She answered, picking up the pad of paper to read everything she'd just written down.

"So turns out, it's Zoroastrian. Super old school, like two thousand years before Christ. It's a sigil for a Daeva." She answered with a frown.

"What's a Daeva?" Sam asked, and Dean couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

"It translates to "demon of darkness". Zoroastrian demons, and they're savage, animalistic, you know, like nasty attitudes—kind of like demonic pit bulls, or Dean without coffee." She mused, earning a glare from Dean in return.

"How'd you figure that out?" Asked Sam. Rory couldn't help but feel a tinge bit insulted.

"Cause I'm a fricken genius! I'm not your brother." She threw in, avoiding the looks Dean was giving her as she stood up from the bed to walk over to the kitchenette for a cup of coffee.

"Hey give me some credit man, you guys don't have a corner on paper chasin' around here." Dean spoke up.

"Oh, yeah? Name the last book you read." Sam returned. Rory turned to look over her shoulder while holding the coffee pot in her hand with a smirk. Dean met her eyes and slumped in defeat.

"No."

"Yeah." Sam replied while Rory cackled away before setting down the pot and picking up two cups and making her way over to Dean, setting his cup down on the table in front of him. He looked surprised yet grateful, and quietly accepted it with simple muttered thank you.

"Anyway, here's the thing—these Daevas, they have to be summoned, conjured." Rory went on to explain.

"So, someone's controlling it?" Asked Sam.

"Yeup. And, from what I've gathered, it's pretty risky business, too. These fuckers tend to bite the hand that feeds them. And, the arms...and torsos." She grimaced at the sound of her words, not able to wipe the images from her mind.

"So, what do they look like?" Sam inquired.

"Well, nobody knows, but nobody's seen 'em for a couple of millennia." Rory answered.

" Well I'm not surprised. I mean, summoning a demon that ancient? Someone really knows their stuff. I think we've got a major player in town. Now, why don't you go give that girl a private strip-o-gram?" Dean chimed in earning an eye roll from Rory.

"Bite me." Sam countered.

"No, bite her. Don't leave teeth marks, though—Sam? Are you—?"

"Thank you. Someone needed to end that conversation." Rory sighed, and Dean glared hanging up the phone.

"So now what?" She asked, looking him deep in the eyes.

"We pray that she isn't anything but Meg Masters." Dean responded and Rory could spot the worry pooling in his eyes.

And she couldn't help but be worried too.


	40. Shadow Pt III

**Chicago, Illinois**

 **June 2nd, 2006**

"You think you can be any more of a jackass?" Asked Rory, having had enough of being used as a punching bag for Dean to take out his frustration on.

For twelve minutes, she was forced to sit there and listen to him pull strings with a cop 'friend' named Amy whom he believed would have more information to share about the two victims she had been doing her research on. She'd tried to get him not to bother, and promised she'd figure out a way to get to their records without his help since doing research was usually her strong point, but even knowing this, Dean was persistent and eager to get this case over with.

It helped pass the time if he was doing something productive and not stealing looks from Rory every now and again.

The awkward silence was becoming life threatening. And as time went by they were finding it harder and harder to coexist.

"The hell did I do?" He offered a genuinely confused look, holding an attitude in his voice and his phone in his hand.

"Why don't you ask your little cop friend?" Rory spat bitterly, earning a lame chuckle from Dean. The smug look on his face was the only thing Rory could focus on, and she found herself wanting to slap it right off of his face.

"Look if you don't wanna be cool with me and you want to be petty, then fine. But don't forget that I can kick your ass if I wanted to." She barked before raising off the bed and grabbing her trusty leather jacket and making her way to the door.

She couldn't stand to be in the same room with him any longer and thought it was best for them to separate for now.

"Yeah, you wish Angel." Dean scoffed, watching her leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" He spoke forcefully, demanding an answer that Rory couldn't care to give.

She waved him off, pulling open the door.

"To find Sam and tell him what we found."

"Ohh no no no, you're not going. I'm going."

"Oh grow up already..jackass!" Rory yelled on her way out, leaving Dean to follow with a deep sulking expression. He muttered agitatedly under his breath as he stormed out but was brought to an abrupt stop once he slammed into Rory's hands that were stuck out to stop and push him back into the room.

Confusion spread through his features.

"The hell is wrong with you?–"

"Nevermind. Sam's here. We can tell him together." She cut him off, throwing her jacket back on her bed while Dean rolled his eyes.

A few seconds after, Sam entered the room in search for his family and paused once he saw the both of them standing there.

He wasn't sure if he was interrupting, but for the time being, he couldn't care less.

Rory spun around to face her best friend, eager to spit out the words first and opened her mouth to speak.

"Dude, I gotta talk to you!" They all spoke at the same time.

* * *

"So, hot little Meg is summoning the Daeva?" Spoke Dean.

"I knew I didn't like her. There's something about her that makes me..wanna hurl." Rory visibly shuttered at the thought of what Meg could be.

"Looks like she was using that black altar to control the thing." Sam told them.

"So, Sammy's got a thing for the bad girl." Dean chuckled earning an eye roll from both Rory and Sam. "And what's the deal with that bowl again?" Aurora asked.

"She was talking into it. The way witches used to scry into crystal balls or animal entrails. She was communicating with someone." Sam filled her in.

"With who? With the Daeva?" Questioned Dean.

"No, you said those things were savages. No, this was someone different. Someone who's giving her orders. Someone who's comin' to that warehouse." Sam answered, the worry lacing his features, as well as Rory's. She wasn't sure it's what was being cooked up, but she couldn't ignore the pull in her gut telling her that it wasn't anything good.

Dean pondered for a moment, and glanced at some files Rory had gathered on a nearby table. He went to take a seat in front of it and took a look through them quickly as something crossed his mind.

"Holy crap." He uttered.

"What?" Asked Sam and Rory simultaneously.

"What we were gonna tell you earlier—I pulled a favor with my – friend, Amy, over at the police department."

Rory felt her blood pressure rise and swallowed the urge to walk up and smack him in the face. Dean was careful not to make eye contact with her. She hadn't put her hands on him yet, but there wasn't a doubt in his mind that she would if he'd pushed her to the point. It wouldn't be the first time they'd experienced a physical altercation with one another, and he was ashamed to admit that there were a few times that she'd gotten the upper hand on him.

"The complete records of the two victims—we missed something the first time." Dean went on to say.

"What?" Asked Sam as he and Rory walked over to him.

"The first victim, the old man—he spent his whole life in Chicago, but he wasn't born here. Look where he was born." Dean pointed to the words on the page.  
Rory's brows rose in surprise.

"You're shitting me." She uttered.

"Lawrence, Kansas." Sam spoke.

"Mhmm." Dean picked up another file.

"Meredith, second victim—turns out she was adopted. And guess where she's from." He continued. "Lawrence, Kansas". Rory answered, shock written on both her and Sam's faces. The younger Winchester took a seat across from his brother.

"Holy crap." He whispered.

"Yeah." Dean said.

"I mean, it is where the demon killed Mom. That's where everything started. So, you think Meg's tied up with the demon?" Sam asked, starting to put the pieces together.

"I think it's a definite possibility." Dean answered.

"Knew I didn't like her. That definitely explains the nausea." Rory placed one hand on her hip, as she painted a thoughtful expression on her face. Her words caught deans attention, and he turned to face her with a risen brow.

"You were feeling nauseous?" He asked, now able to understand the look of discomfort he'd noticed on her face earlier at the bar.

"Little bit." She shrugged, slightly surprised to hear him ask.

"And you didn't think to say anything to one of us?" Dean squinted, slightly irritated. Just because they weren't on the best of terms didn't mean that he didn't care about her health, or anything else that may have been going on with her. He realized then that maybe he'd have to make that clear to her once he had a moment.

"I had it under control." She rolled her eyes.

"I don't understand. What's the significance of Lawrence? And how do these Daeva things fit in?" Sam continued to ask questions as curiosity struck him.

"Beats me. But I say we trash that black altar, grab Meg, and have ourselves a friendly little interrogation." Dean spat, ready to move in on Meg.

"I'm with Dean." Rory took a step forward, agreeing with Dean for what felt like the first time in a long time.

"No, we can't. We shouldn't tip her off. We've gotta stake out that warehouse. We've gotta see who, or what, is showin' up to meet her." Sam told them.

"I'll tell you one thing. I don't think we should do this alone." Dean spoke.

Rory ran her tongue smooth over her bottom lip before she caught it in between her teeth as she thought to herself. She hated to admit it twice in a row, but she agreed with Dean on that too.

But she found it hard to believe that John would come through now of all times.

* * *

"We think we've got a serious lead on the thing that killed Mom. So, uh, this warehouse—it's 1435 West Erie. Dad, if you get this, get to Chicago as soon as you can." Rory glanced up from her task at hand, still moving her hands skillfully as she locked and loaded her pistol. Her eyes met with Dean's as he hung up his phone. Of course the boys had suggested giving their father a call. She on the other hand, knew he wouldn't answer.

Her head shook slightly for him, for the both of them.

 _What a jackass.._ she thought. (He hangs up.)

"Voicemail?" Sam's voice broke through their moment, and Dean sighed before tearing away from Rory's gaze.

"Yeah." He answered, gesturing to the bags.

"Jesus, what'd you get?"

"I ransacked that trunk. Holy water, every weapon that I could think of, exorcism rituals from about a half dozen religions. I'm not sure what to expect, so I guess we should just expect everything." Sam told him. Rory hummed, happy to know they we're prepared for anything.

If she were being honest with herself, this whole situation made her nervous to no end.

This could be it, she thought.

The thing they'd dedicated their lives to ever since they'd lost Mary, the thing John ha abandoned his children for. This was a huge deal.

She was nervous.

"Big night." Dean spoke, as if he'd read her mind.

"Yeah. You nervous?" Sam asked.

"No. Why, are you?" Dean returned.

"No. No way." Said Sam. Rory looked up, pausing her hands for a moment to speak her mind.

"Well I am." They all went silent for a moment, meeting her gaze.

It was different to hear that kind of truth leaving her lips. They knew Aurora to be strength, and confidence. I was a rarity to hear her spill nerves or fear.

"I am. This...this could be the end of a lotta things, us included." The boys took a moment to hang on every word.

"Let's just make sure we're careful, and not in over our heads." She finished, not wanting to say too much. They'd be okay. She just had to keep telling herself that.

Seconds of silence passed.

"God, could you imagine if we actually found that damn thing? That demon?" Said Sam.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, all right?" Spoke Dean.

"I know. I'm just sayin', what if we did? What if this whole thing was over tonight? Man, I'd sleep for a month. Go back to school—be a person again."

"You wanna go back to school?" Dean asked, a little too quickly in Rory's opinion. She could already see where this was going and held her breath.

She could only pray that Sam answered in a way that would satisfy Dean.

"Yeah, once we're done huntin' the thing." Sam answered, earning a heavy exhale from Rory.

"Huh." Dean responded flickering his gaze over to Rory before placing it back onto the gun in his hands.

"Why, is there somethin' wrong with that?"

"Here we go.." She muttered under her breath, just loud enough for them to hear and deliver an eye roll her way.

"No. No, it's, uh, great. Good for you." She could hear the disappointment and resentment in Dean's voice, and it hurt her.

"I mean, what are you guys gonna do when it's all over?"

"I'm thinking about maybe buying a winter jacket..taking a trip to Canada..see what's going on over there." Rory spoke aloud, trying to lighten the mood. Sam delivered a soft smirk.

"It's never gonna be over. There's gonna be others. There's always gonna be somethin' to hunt." Dean interjected.

"But there's got to be somethin' that you want for yourself—"

"Yeah, I don't want you to leave the second this thing's over, Sam." Dean erupted, walking over to the dresser.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Sam grew frustrated, not understanding where the sudden hostility was coming from. Silence blanketed the room for a minute, and Rory grew more nervous when Dean spun around to face his brother.

"Why do you think I drag you everywhere? Huh? I mean, why do you think I dragged Rory's ass and came and got you at Stanford in the first place?"

"'Cause Dad was in trouble. 'Cause you wanted to find the thing that killed Mom." Sam guessed, thinking he was spot on. It was the reason they'd given him after all when they'd shown up at Stanford all those months ago.

"Yes, that, but it's more than that, man." Dean signed, turning to face the dresser again after falling silent. He took a moment and tuned back to Sam whilst Rory witnessed the whole thing unfold. She already knew how hard Dean was trying to push his family back together. She could practically see the force in the air.

"You and me and Rore and Dad—I mean, I want us….I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family again." The need in his tone gripped Rory completely, and she felt her heart give at the sight of him. There was a brokenness in his eyes, defeat in his slumped shoulders as he stood there and stared at his brother.

"Dean, we are a family. I'd do anything for you. But things will never be the way they were before." Sam explained with just as much emotion.

And Rory could practically see his heart breaking.

"Could be." Dean answered sadly. Rory then looked to Sam, awaiting his answer. Because honestly, she wouldn't mind if things went back to normal either.

Anything was better than how things were right now.

She could feel them falling apart as a family.

"...I don't want them to be. I'm not gonna live this life forever. Dean, when this is all over, you're both gonna have to let me go my own way." Sam shared, giving them both a look.

Rory would be lying if she said his words didn't hurt her feelings.

But instead of voicing that fact, she simply blinked and looked down at her gun in her hands, wondering if she was going to live a hunters life forever.

And if that was what she wanted.

* * *

Sam, Dean, and Rory climbed with much effort up the elevator gate to reach the top room in the warehouse where Sam had followed Meg earlier. As much as Rory wanted to go in there guns blazing, she knew they had to be discreet. So she went first, using Dean's palms as a step to reach the bars. After a few stretched out minutes, they'd reached the top. And in the near distance, they could hear the soft whispers leaving Meg's lips as she stood by the altar, speaking an ancient language that was unfamiliar to all hunters.

Quietly, the young blonde made to squeeze through the space between the gate and the wall, and taking the hint, the boys followed. She stopped behind a couple of crates stacked high enough to hide her frame, and stooped low so that she could draw her weapon of choice. She figured guns wouldn't do the job, so she went with her trusty knife. Slowly, she pulled it out of her ankle holster, and followed Dean and Sam to the other side of the room.

She made to count down, meeting the eyes of her partners and delivering a nod.

"Guys." Rory's heart stopped in her chest as the stunned looks on all of their faces seeped through.

"Hiding's a little bit childish, don't you think?" Meg's voice called out.

"Son of a bitch." Rory cursed under her breath, trying to ignore the wave of nausea that had just hit her.

"Well, that didn't work out like I planned." Dean muttered.

They could hear Meg moving.

"Why don't you come out?" They all gave a look to one another before shrugging and cutting their losses and removing themselves from behind the crates.

"Sam, I have to say, this puts a real crimp in our relationship." No one else made to drop their weapons, so Aurora stood strong, gripping her knife tightly by her side as she watched Meg's every move.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Sam spat.

"So, where's your little Daeva friend?" Dean asked, and Rory took that moment to realize the eeriness.

 _Why would she be here alone? And why doesn't she look surprised?_ She thought with suspicion as her eyes danced around the room.

"Around. You know, that shotgun's not gonna do much good." She replied smartly. Rory squinted, having anything but a good feeling.

This was too easy.

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart. The shotgun's not for the demon." He replied.

"So, who is it, Meg? Who's coming? Who are you waiting for?" Asked Sam.

As Sam's words left his mouth, that's when it all fell into place for Rory. She went stiff.

It was a trap. For them.

"You." She spoke simply, just before a shadow began to form on the wall. Rory dropped her guard for one second before she prepared herself to attack.

How she would attack a shadow was beyond her.

"Guys!" And before she had the chance to figure out how to get the upper hand, Sam had been knocked to the ground, and Dean was thrown back into a pile of crates rendering them both unconscious. She fought against the fear that threatened to paralyze her as she was faced with the creature, and before she could process anymore, an excruciating pain, one she'd never felt before ripped through her abdomen, clawing right through the material of her shirt drawing way too much blood.

She let a scream rip from her lips before she was met with a hard surface that sent a shocking, sharp pain up her back before her vision was taken over by darkness.

* * *

Rory woke up slowly, welcoming the air into her lungs as it felt as though she'd had the wind knocked out of her. She slowly picked her neck up, feeling the soreness behind it as she peeled open her eyes and winced in pain. Her shirt was full of blood, but the pain she'd felt before she'd been knocked out wasn't there anymore. She couldn't quite see the wounds through the tears in her shirt, but if she knew any better she'd guess that there wasn't any wound at all. But still, everywhere else hurt.

 _Nothing a glass of whisky can't fix,_ she thought.

 _"..It doesn't mean anything. It was just to draw you in, that's all."_ She heard as she came to

"Psst. Hey." She turned her head to the left upon the sound of Dean's voice calling out to her.

"You okay?" He whispered,, concern thick in his tone as she continued to stare intently at her stomach.

Rory tried to brush it off, but found that her arms had been tied to the post behind her. She blinked long and hard.

"It's fine. I don't think it's that deep." She gruffed, voice hoarse.

"You killed those two people for nothin'." Sam's voice caught her attention, and she turned to her left finding him in the same position as both her and Dean, tied up and incapacitated.

"Baby, I've killed a lot more for a lot less." Meg answered. Rory felt the anger bubbling in her chest for the demon.

"You trapped us. Good for you. It's Miller time. But why don't you kill us already?" Said Dean, a smart smirk on his lips.

"Not very quick on the uptake, are we?" Meg spoke as she leaned in closer to them.

"This trap isn't for you." She spoke earning confused looks from both the men in the room. Rory knew exactly what was happening. She'd had the chance to put two and two together long before she'd gotten injured. She looked over to Sam and gave him a look, one that was mixed with both sadness and disappointment.

"Sammy.." She spoke just as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Dad. It's a trap for Dad." He then finished. Rory was beating herself up for not having realized things sooner. Now they were risking John's life too.

She only prayed he hadn't gotten rusty over the time he'd spent apart from them and knew that trouble was waiting for him.

"Oh, sweetheart—you're dumber than you look. 'Cause even if Dad was in town, which he is not, he wouldn't walk into something like this. He's too good." She

"He is pretty good. I'll give you that." Meg sauntered over to Dean, sat down and straddled his legs. Rory immediately grew disgusted and thought she'd throw up right then and there.

"But you see, he has one weakness." Meg spoke.

"What's that?" Asked Dean.

"You." Both Meg and Aurora answered at the same time.

"Not such a dumb blonde after all huh? But then again you did kinda give off a strange vibe.." Spoke Meg, earning an eye roll from Rory.

"Screw you." She bit back, evoking a smirk from Meg who then looked back to Dean.

 _Where the hell is my backup knife,_ she thought, moving her fingers up the sleeve of her jacket. She felt the tip of the blade poke her finger and internally praised whatever higher power there was before discreetly going to work on freeing herself. There was no way Meg would pay her half as much attention as she was the boys.

"He lets his guard down around his boys, lets his emotions cloud his judgment. I happen to know he is in town. And he'll come and try to save you. And then the Daevas will kill everybody—nice and slow and messy." She explained with joy in her tone.

"Well, I've got news for ya. It's gonna take a lot more than some….shadow to kill him." Dean spoke with faith. Rory couldn't fault him for having any. It was John Winchester for crying out loud.

If anyone knew how to deal with the supernatural, he did.

"Oh, the Daevas are in the room here—they're invisible. Their shadows are just the only part you can see."

"Why you doin' this, Meg? What kind of deal you got worked out here, huh? And with who?"

"I'm doing this for the same reasons you do what you do—loyalty. Love. Like the love you had for Mommy—and Jess."

"Go to hell." Sam hissed.

"Baby, I'm already there."

"We are so screwed." Rory whispered to herself, listening to everything going on around her. She did her best to ignore the sound of Meg's voice and the fact that she was now straddling her best friends lap in effort to seduce him. She could feel the rope giving away.

"Come on, Sam. There's no need to be nasty." She whispered into his ear.

"I think we both know how you really feel about me. You know, I saw you watching me—changing in my apartment. Turned you on, didn't it?" She continued, earning a gag noise from Rory.

"Get a room, you two." Dean added in disgust.

"I didn't mind. I liked that you were watching me. Come on, Sammy. You and I can still have a little dirty fun." Rory grimaced.

"Oh gross." She uttered, pulling at the ties around her wrists, desperate to get away from her surroundings.

"You wanna have fun? Go ahead then. I'm a little tied up right now."

"Dear Lord, if you love me, you'll get me outta here now." She prayed, lifting her head heavenward, just before the rope could snap. She felt them slack around her wrists and relaxed her shoulders. She kept her composure and swallowed calmly, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. She had to wait for the right moment.

There were after all lurking shadows.

A noise on Dean's side of the room was sound causing everyone to pause. Rory blinked her eyes open and looked to Meg, who looked passed her to Dean before she removed herself from Sam's lap and made her way over to his post. She peeked behind him and found that he had been trying to break free using a knife that he'd stowed away in the sleeve of his jacket. Meg tossed it away into a corner and swung around to the other side of the post and smiled at Dean who chuckled guiltily.

Meg held his gaze for a moment before leaving him once again to saunter back over to Sam. On the way she was met with a hateful gaze from Rory. She winked and Rory squinted in return.

"Now, were you just trying to distract me while your brother cuts free?"

"No. No. That's because I have a knife of my own." Said Sam, causing Rory to look over at Meg as the confusion spread all over her face just before Sam broke free from his ropes and grabbed her by the shoulders to knock his head against hers acusing her to fall back onto the ground in pain.

Sam groaned in pain, and Rory took that moment to break away and help Dean get free.

"Sam! Get the altar." He told his brother, welcoming Rory's help. She released the ropes once Dean stood to his feet.

The crash in the background was enough to catch everyone's attention. Rory jumped up in fright a couple steps away from her previous spot and closer to Meg, who'd been catching her bearings, and suddenly the shadow demon appeared and grabbed Meg. They began dragging her across the floor, and she desperately reached out for something, anything to cling onto to save her from the demons she'd once controlled.

Rory unfortunately was one of those things. Once she'd clung onto her ankle, she hung on for dear life, dragging Rory along with her. She was swept right off her feet, and before Dean could reach, she was already too far.

"RORY!" Sam belted, moving to help her.

"AURORA!" Dean yelled, horror in his wide eyes.

"DEAN!" The fear gripped her heart tight and froze her entire system as her life flashed before her eyes.

"Ah!" Glass shattered behind her and she could feel the moment creeping up on her, the moment her life would end after a seven story drop.

"NO!" Dean jumped at his chance to save her, literally. He landed heavily on his stomach, grabbing her arm before she could slip over the edge. Rory gripped him tight, looking down and seeing Meg holding on. She kicked twice and hard enough for Meg to lose her grip and fall to her death. Not able to watch, she looked away only able to hear the impact. She cringed, saying a short prayer in her head for the lost soul.

"Pull me up! Pull me up!" She panicked, not wanting to meet the same fate. Dean groaned, getting help from Sam as they both pulled Rory up to safety.

She braced her hands on her knees, catching her breath and taking a moment to process that she'd almost died.

"So, I guess the Daevas didn't like being bossed around." Spoke Sam causing her to turn around and breath a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, I guess not. Hey, Sam?" Dean called out. Rory ran a hand down her face and through her tousled hair.

"Hm?" Sam answered.

"Next time you wanna get laid, find a girl that's not so buckets-o'-crazy, huh?" Dean smiled awkwardly before walking away.

Rory watched him leave, not able to take her eyes off the back of her savior.

Even through all of their turmoil, even after all of the pain and suffering, he was there for her.

She shook her head, not able to swallow the words that were threatening to spill over her lips.

 _Crap...I still love him,_ she thought.


	41. Shadow Pt IV

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the Superntural plot or its characters, bladdi bladdi blah! I know, you know we all know. All I own is Rory.**

* * *

 **AUTHORS NOTE: HEY GUYS!**

 **Sooooooo I'm noticing all the folllows and favs and I just wanna take a second to say how much I love and adore you all for taking time out of your day to read this story. I love writing Rory's character and her story!**

 **Also thanks to the reviewers for actually giving me some feedback, honest and supportive. I appreciate you ALL. :)**

 **It's time to wrap up this chapter though, so let me leave my love here for now until he next.**

 **SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO: Samicawirtes, Faby0411 (thank you for notifying me about the double post :p), Midnightpenguin, KylieWinchester, Kim Saruby, SamSmith95, and King and the Lionhearted! Your reviews are wonderful xo!**

 **Okay, you know the drill!**

 **ONWARDS WITH THE REVIEWS, COMMENTS ETC!**

 **HOPE YOU ENJOY.**

 **xoxo**

* * *

 **Motel**

 **Chicago, Illinois**

 **June 2nd, 2006**

Dean, Sam and Rory walked themselves down the hall to their motel room. The boys would be lying if they said they weren't hurting at least a little bit. Those Daeva's had tossed them around like hot potatoes. Rory on the other hand, didn't feel a wink of pain. It was a conspiracy given her favorite shirt was still damp with blood, and ruthlessly ripped open showcasing a part of her toned abdomen-her unharmed abdomen. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that the wound had suddenly disappeared. It healed itself, the skin had regenerated and **_healed_** itself.

She paused for a moment just behind Sams large figure, wondering if this had something to do with her abilities.

 _Well duhh but..how?.._ She thought.

"Why didn't you just leave that stuff in the car?" Asked Dean to his brother.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again—better safe than sorry." Sam answered. Dean followed his reply with a shrug and unlocked the door before entering the room. Rory was still stuck inside of her brain while she moved idly behind the boys, not even noticing that they'd paused until she turned around and harshly slammed into a wall otherwise known as Sam's back. They see the outline of a man standing by the window.)

"Woah-" She stumbled back, palming Sam's shoulder blades to help balance as she tried to look over his shoulder at whatever they were staring at.

"Hey!" Dean called out to the figure across the way by the window. The dark figure made Rory instantly reach for the her trusty pistol in the waistband on her pants as she readied herself for attack just as Sam went to flick the lights on, but they all paused in shock when they realized just who stood in the room with them.

 _No fucking way..._ Rory thought to herself as the Eldest Winchester turned to face them. A soft, wary look in his puppy dog eyes.

"Hey, kids." He was just as she remembered him last. Grungy, sorry in the eyes and strong in the way he stood. He was a hero for her, one she could always depend on when it was time...up until a point. After that point, he began to let her down, let them down, and she found that she could no longer turn to him.

All but Dean were stunned and glued to their spot, he found himself walking towards his father and not any later sharing a long and emotional hug with him. Rory could feel the emotion in the room, it was almost as if it were choking her. It left her with a tingle in the tips of her fingers, one she wasn't familiar with.

She walked up to Sam's side, watching sadly as the father and son embraced each other, not at all knowing which reaction of her own she would choose to show John.

Now, after all the time that passed, he'd chosen to show up.

After I called, and begged him to tell me where Dean was...after the car accident-...after Noah..She thought with tears in her eyes. She refused to let them fall, not wanting them to see the pin she tried to hard to mask after a year.

"Hi, Sam." John's voice pulled her out of her head, snapping her cruelly back into reality. She blinked back the tears and payed attention, standing nearest to the door just behind John.

"Hey, Dad." Sam answered softly, eyeing his father with such intensity, even Rory couldn't identify the emotion in their eyes. There was no hug between them, but she wasn't surprised, there was too much damage done. Sam placed the bag of weapons on the ground, and Rory chose then to step out of the way to make space for him to lay it down. It was as if John caught wind of her presence with the tiny step she took backwards and turned his attention onto her.

She froze, eyeing him expressionlessly, and he seemed to carry waves of different feelings in his eyes that he chose to keep inside for the time being. With a simple nod of acknowledgement, he smirked.

As if it would make everything better.

With a simple shake of her head, she frowned deeply, earning one in return from him as he fell into confusion.

The boys witnessed the entire exchange and couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"Dad, it was a trap. I didn't know, I'm sorry." Dean got right to the point, not wanting to strain the moment too much.

"It's all right. I thought it might've been." John answered, keeping his eyes on Aurora for another moment before looking over at Dean.

"Were you there?" He asked.

"Yeah, I got there just in time to see the girl take the swan dive. She was the bad guy, right?"

"Yes, sir." The boys answered.

"Good. Well, it doesn't surprise me. It's tried to stop me before." John spoke.

"The demon has?" Sam questioned in mild shock.

"It knows I'm close. It knows I'm gonna kill it. Not just exorcise it or send it back to hell—actually kill it." John explained, catching the interest of Rory.

"How?" Asked Dean. John just smirked.

"I'm workin' on that." He answered causing Rory to tip her brow in curiosity. She wondred just what the notorious John Winchester had up his sleeve.

"Let us come with you. We'll help." Sam started, earning a warning look from Dean.

"No, Sam. Not yet. Just try to understand. This demon is a scary son of a bitch. I don't want you caught in a crossfire. I don't want you hurt."

"Dad, you don't have to worry about us." Sam reassured him, though Rory wasn't so sure she would agree. Sam had lost his girlfriend and mother to the same demon, Dean lost a child, and she was a freak who could manipulate trees.

They were anything but okay.

"Of course I do. I'm your father." John told him." John answered back and paused for a moment.

"Listen, Sammy, last time we were together, we had one hell of a fight." He continued.

"Yes, sir." Sam nodded.

"It's good to see you again. It's been a long time." John admit.

"Too long." Rory watched with a hint of a smirk on the corner of her lips as they embraced each other, crying, wanting to cry herself. A minute later, they pulled apart and the four of them looked around tearfully.

It was when the silence grew thick that Rory felt the pull in her gut, that something was wrong. She tensed up and flickered her gaze around the room. Dean caught the look on her face and furrowed his brows.

Suddenly, a shadow demon attacked John, flinging him backwards by his shoulders and tossing him into a set of cabinets. He landed heavily on the ground, and Rory jumped to his rescue only to be flung across the room into the table where it broke under her weight. Her shoulder throbbed with pain just before a bloodcurdling scream jumped from her lips as the claw from the Daeva scratched down her exposed collarbone.

"AGHH!"

Not a second later did she hear Sam's painful cry.

"No!" Yelled Dean before he was thrown to the floor as well.

"AGHHHHH!" She tried hard to block out the noise, never having heard John scream like that before in her life. It was too much, her family dying in front of her. It hurt even more knowing that there wasn't a thing she could do about it.

"DEAN!" She cried, eyes squeezed shut as the Daeva's plunged their claws back into her abdomen where it had just healed, causing her to throw her head back against the wall in agony. She fought with all her might not to pass out then and there.

She sucked in a breath as she fought against the force pinning her down, hearing another earth shattering scream leave John.

"SAM!" She cried out desperately, feeling the blood leave her body.

"SHUT YOUR EYES!" She heard faintly, as she fought to keep conscious and followed instructions, squeezing with what little energy she had left.

"These things are shadow demons, so let's light 'em up!" Not long after, a crackling sound of a flare was heard followed by a bright, blinding white light that Rory could see even behind closed eyes. She went to cover her face as the smoke from the flare began to fill the room. Shrill screams belonging to the Daevas danced around their ears nearly deafening them until it suddenly went quiet, other than the groans of pain leaving John's lips.

Coughing and sputtering she made to crawl on her knees and slowly began to make her way out by following her senses and feeling her way around the room until a grip around her helped her up and practically carried her out of the room.

"Dad!" She heard Dean's voice just beside her, and knew immediately that it was him who had her.

"Over here!" John answered.

"Sam!" Dean called, and Sam wasted no time tending to his father.

"You okay?" Dean asked, holding her body close to his as he helped her along out of the building and down the alley to where they'd parked their cars.

"Just get me out of here." Rory groaned, trembling with agony.

It felt as though her entire body had fallen asleep. Her open wounds stung as if someone had poured rubbing alcohol all over them.

 _Definitely not normal._

Dean rested her against the side of the Impala, groaning with every movement while Sam let go of John and put the bag of weapons in the backseat of the car.

All right, come on. We don't have much time. As soon as the flare's out, they'll be back." He told the group.

"Wait, wait, wait! Sam, wait. Dad, you can't come with us." Dean intervened.

"What? What are you talkin' about?" Sam spoke with confusion while Rory just witnessed the exchange quietly.

"You kids—you're beat to hell." John spoke, paying specific attention to Aurora who only watched him with sadness. She hated that she was so angry with both him and Dean.

It made her miserable, and made her worry even more about their well being.

How were they going to look after one another if they couldn't even look each other in the eye.

"We'll be all right." Dean reassured him. It seemed as though he'd been thinking about this decision for a while. At least it seemed that way to the rest of the group.

"Dean, we should stick together. We'll go after those demons—"

"Sam! Listen to me! We almost got Dad killed in there. Don't you understand? They're not gonna stop. They're gonna try again. They're gonna use us to get to him. I mean, Meg was right. Dad's vulnerable when he's with us. He—he's stronger without us around." Dean expressed with sadness.

Rory frowned, hating that that was the truth.

"Dad-no." Sam begged resting his hand on John's shoulder.

"After everything- after all the time we spent lookin' for you—please. I gotta be a part of this fight." He spoke with desperation.

"Sammy, this fight is just starting. And we are all gonna have a part to play. For now, you've got to trust me, son." John replied earning a nod of disagreement from Sam.

"Sammy.." Rory whispered, heartbroken for him.

"Okay, you've gotta let me go." John stressed with a torn expression. All four of them fell silent for a moment, close to tears.

"Sam." Rory tried again using a more forceful tone feeling that it was easier to talk now without feeling pain, knowing it would take some force to get him to move. Finally, Sam looked at his hand on his dad's shoulder, and pat it once before letting go. Rory took that moment to rest her hand on his arm, doing her best to offer her support. Sam could feel the wave of calm wash over him like he always did whenever Rory touched him. He sighed, and John, Dean and Rory all shared a look before John walked to his truck. Once there, he looked back at them one more time.

"Be careful, boys...Ariel?" He smiled softly for her. Rory returned the same gesture, not able to hold her grudge any longer. This was goodbye, yet again. Who knew the next time they'd see each other. Hopefully it was under better circumstances, but living their lifestyles,

Who knew what the circumstances would be?

"Come on." Dean said, knowing trouble was never too far behind them.

"I can drive myself."

"Rory-"

"I can drive Dean." She repeated strongly, turning to look him in the eye, moving her hand to lift her blood soaked shirt only to reveal the unmarked skin underneath it.

Dean and Sam stared with wide eyes and shock, and what she could swear was fear. Rory registered the looks on their faces and made sure to lock it away in her memory.

"...I'm fine." She spoke once Dean's fearful gaze met hers, and turned to walk towards her car, the pain subsiding with the ticking seconds.

She just wished this hunt would end already.


	42. Dead Man's Blood Pt I

**Motel**

 **June 3rd, 2006**

 _"We can assume that these abilities are certainly aligned with goodness."_ Missouri's soft spoken voice was always able to help calm Rory down whenever she was worked up about her abilities. She'd come to really trust and confide in the older lady over time.

So it wasn't a surprise to either of them when the first thing Rory did when she settled into a hotel was call her for answers.

"How can we be sure?" The younger woman asked into the receiver of her phone as she laid out clothes for after she took a nice long shower. Peeling off her blood soaked shirt was gruesome for her. She couldn't believe that she was still alive after losing so much blood.

It was impossible, in every way.

 _"Oh honey, even you know better than to doubt me."_ Missouri smirked through her voice.

"This is true." Rory snorted with amusement.

 _"..These abilities, they don't harm you in any way do they?"_

"That depends on your definition of the word." Rory answered, re-wrapping the complimentary towel the motel had supplied her with.

 _"Do you feel the need to act malicious? Do you feel pain whenever you choose to activate your abilities?"_ Asked Missouri. Rory hung on every word, really thinking them over for a moment before she responded, knowing her answer would mean something.

"Never. They usually just leave me feeling drained, and I only feel the need to exercise them whenever there's danger. I'm not sure, maybe that's why my body healed itself. Maybe it sensed that I was in need of healing."

 _"Hm..whatever these abilities are related to, it's definitely pro-life."_

"Meaning?.." Rory tipped a brow.

 _"Well, you can manipulate mother nature, that **is** life in every aspect of the word. And your senses react to demons whenever they're nearby warning you of danger, and now it seems you can heal. I'd say that sounds pretty pro-life to me."_ She explained.

All Rory could do was stare straight ahead in confusion.

"...why me?" She asked no one in particular.

 _"Why any of us?"_ Asked Missouri in return.

The question settled into her grey-blue eyes as she continued to stare at nothing in particular.

"Well-what am I supposed to do about any of this I mean-where am I gonna be months from now what if something happens?-"

 _"Ariel baby, calm down."_

"What do I do now?" She asked, suddenly feeling like the vulnerable preteen Bobby had taken under his wing, alone and without a clue.

 _"..Embrace who you are baby."_ Answered Missouri.

* * *

 **Post Office**

 **Manning, Colorado**

 **October 25th, 2006**

"Seriously.." Rory muttered under her breath, both hands gripping the wheel as she sped down the road to meet up with the boys who'd rudely left her behind at the motel supposedly because she was _'in a deep sleep and wouldn't wake up'_.

She was pissed, and about two minutes away.

Months had gone by, and life for the trio had been nothing short of a whirlwind. It was hunt after hunt and dilemma after dilemma, and shockingly enough, they were still alive and in one piece. Rory's excuse was that she could heal, and not to anyone else's surprise, there were no excuses for the boys. But thankfully, they'd gotten plenty of work done regardless, dealing with haunted houses to haunted portraits.

Dean, Sam and Rory had done everything except deal with their real issues.

The ones they had with each other.

"A post office, at the butt-crack of dawn. Of course they're serious.." She voiced to herself, breaking the silence in her car. She didn't even bother to turn on the stereo, too preoccupied with trying to make sense of the images of the same man she'd been seeing in her dreams for months now flashing in the front of her mind.

She parked around the building out of sight, and made to get out and find her way over to where the boys said they'd be waiting for her inside. She got close to the entrance when her hearing picked up on the sound of Sam's voice. It was distance, but distinct. She knew it was his, and decided to follow it, but wasn't at all expecting to find who she did once she finally found them.

 _"We gotta pick up the trail."_ He spoke.

"John?" She asked herself as she walked up behind him, knowing no one had noticed her presence yet. She kept quiet, trying to hear what she could about the conversation before she officially interrupted.

 _"Wait. You want us to come with you?"_ Asked Sam, surprise in his voice.

"If Elkins was telling the truth, we gotta find this gun." John replied, sparking interest in Rory as she came to a stop behind him. She couldn't even see the boys inside of the impala from where she parked herself, but remained still anyway, placing her hands on her hips.

 _Gun? What the hell did I miss?_ She thought.

"The gun - why?"

"Because it's important, that's why." John answered with an attitude Rory knew not to challenge, unfortunately for him, Sam didn't care to know any better.

"Dad, we don't even know what these things are yet." He argued.

"They were what Daniel Elkins killed best-Vampires." John told him.

"You've gotta be shitting me." John nearly spun out of his skin, not at all used to the reaction he shrugged it off and cleared his throat once he realized it was only Rory.

"Ariel." He greeted with a sigh, the stress evident in his tone.

"Hey." She nodded in acknowledgement, not able to get over his presence.

Dean looked over the beauty momentarily, admiring her for all that she was in front of him before he cleared his throat and tore his gaze away and glued them back onto his father.

They hadn't seen John since the hunt back in Illinois. Hadn't heard from him either, so she wasn't exactly sure how to deal with him being there now.

"Vampires? I thought there was no such thing." Dean interrupted, only glancing over at her shortly before gluing his attention back onto his father.

"You never even mentioned them, Dad." Sam said.

"Seriously?...Vampires?!" Asked Rory with a scoff of disbelief, for what felt like the hundredth time for the night.

"I thought they were extinct. I thought Elkins and - and others had wiped them out. I was wrong." The look on John's face was answer enough for all of them. Rory's fell into surprise as she listened to the eldest of the group speak.

"Most vampire lore is crap. A cross won't repel them, sunlight won't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the bloodlust, that part's true. They need fresh human blood to survive. They were once people, so you won't know it's a vampire until it's too late." John explained.

"Well, so what do we do here? This sounds like it's more than it really is, what'd I miss?" Spoke Aurora, eyes darting between the men.

"I'll fill you in once we get somewhere outta sight. C'mon." John told them, not leaving them a chance to speak or disagree.

 _Typical John,_ thought Rory as she bent over the drivers window to speak to the boys.

"Next time, just shake me awake. Clearly I miss out when I'm not around." She said before she made her way back to her car.

If there was one thing she knew, it was that whatever was going on was serious. If John was back in the picture, it meant business, or worse..

Danger.

Whatever the case, Rory made sure to put herself on high alert from then on out.

* * *

The awkwardness in the air was thick, almost thick enough to choke her to death. Sitting there in the quiet of the night with John at one end of the table, police scanner playing idly in the background while he held the radio in his hand, Rory wanted to shoot herself in the head right then and there.

No one knew what to say, and because of that, she was stuck in the bitter space she was in with John while Dean and Sam slept peacefully like babies.

"So...you doin' alright? You and the boys?" His voice shook her from her mind. Surprise filled her to the brim, and she was sure it showed in her eyes by the way he chuckled at her.

"C'mon, just because I'm not around doesn't mean I don't care or keep tabs on you kids." He spoke.

Rory didn't respond, not knowing exactly what to say.

"How's Bobby?" He continued anyway.

Rory took a deep breath in, smirking at the thought of her father.

"Still kickin' ass." They shared a soft chuckle, and it seemed to lighten the air around them.

"Talked to him this morning, slipped out on the last hunt with the boys in Upstate New York to go and spend some time with him. He's okay. Misses me at home, but he's dealing." She nodded, reminding herself to call him as soon as she found the time.

"You left the boys?" The tone in his voice was enough for Rory to tell that he wasn't pleased with er decision to split from the boys. That immediately sparked an attitude within her.

"You say that as if I don't have my own life to live." She countered with daring eyes. John payed her a glance for a moment before delivering a sigh of defeat.

"They're big boys John. They can look after themselves, they won't always need me around." She said, trying to offer some comfort, though she was sure it didn't take.

"It's not them I worry about most." He looked at her again, with hidden meaning in his tired eyes. Rory couldn't help but hang on every word.

"...What do you know about me John? Where have you really been all this time?" She decided to ask, wanting answers. She needed to know what it was he was he had found out about her. She knew there was something serious going on, otherwise he wouldn't have called her all those months ago demanding that she remembered her dreams.

"It's complicated, and believe me I wanna tell you everything I know, but I can't." Rory shook her head, not surprised.

"Of course you can't. You're sworn to secrecy just like Missouri." She rolled her eyes, frustration fighting to take over.

"Can you remember your dreams yet?" He asked her, making her think back to the day he'd called her to deliver a cryptic message.

"They don't make a lick of sense, but they are pretty vivid. And every time I wake up I'm in pain...it's different every time. Sometimes my back hurts or my chest..and there's a man who shows up. He's been showing up for a while now. But he doesn't ever say more than one word." She explained, brows knitted together as she thought back to her dreams.

As time went on, she found that they were becoming more real than ever. Some mornings shed wake up forgetting where she was, some nights she'd be found sleepwalking. Just a week ago, Bobby had found her in a nearby forest where she claimed the man in her dreams had lead her to, healing dying trees until she'd suddenly pass out.

They were getting more intense, and she wasn't sure how much more of it she could take.

"What does he say?" John asked with a pointed look. Rory looked him in the eyes.

"..Heal." She answered. John hung on the word, delivering a fixed stare before he nodded after a moment of understanding. Rory deflated, not sure how to take his reaction.

"Just tell me something John, please. I don't know how much longer I can deal with this." She begged.

"Aurora, trust me. All in good time." John told her softly.

"I just-" She sighed as the dispatcher sounded off.

 _"Unit 22 let me confirm. Mile marker 41,abandoned car. You need a workup?"_

 _"Copy that. Possible 207. Better get forensics out here."_ Answered an officer on the scene.

John hopped up, completely dropping their conversation and sets the radio down on the table before he grabbed his jacket. Rory, confused but well alert followed suit, watching as he made to wake up his sons.

"You think that's them?" Asked Rory referring to the vampires as she swiftly threw her jacket on over her v-neck t-shirt, stuffing down her urge to carry on their previous conversation.

"Sam, Dean, let's go." He woke them, slapping their feet, and they jumped awake not seconds after.

"Mm-hmm." Dean groaned, jumping up immediately though still asleep. Sam sat up soon after, trying to make right of his reality.

"I picked up a police call." John rushed to fill them in.

"What happened?" Asked Sam.

"A couple called 911, found a body in the street. Cops got there everyone was missing. It's the vampires."

"How do you know?" Sam returned, and Rory paused for a moment, familiar with his tone of voice. She eyed the younger Winchester for a split second before she looked to Dean who seemed to let the moment blow right over his head due to his exhaustion.

 _Well this won't end well._ She sighed.

"Just follow me, ok?" Ordered John as he walked out of the motel room. Sam did as told, leaving Rory to watch after them as they sped out of the room.

She looked back at Dean who slowly put on his boots, sleep still heavy in his every movement.

"You know they're gonna be at each other's throats right?" She voiced with slight worry, though by now they were all used to it.

Didn't mean it was fun to be around.

"Trust me, I know." Dean sighed, pulling on his left shoe.

"And we're hunting vampires." Rory added, earning a smirk from Dean.

"Tuh, vampires. Get's funnier every time I hear it." He snorted with amusement.

It was obvious that Dean was used to the tension between Sam and John, so he wasn't as bothered as she was. It looked like she'd have to worry about handling things herself.

So she did nothing more than roll her eyes and walk out the door.

* * *

Aurora leaned against the hood of the Impala, arms crossed over her chest while watching John from a short distance as he finished up exchanging words with a local cop on the scene. She watched as their lips moved, not quite able to make out what was being said as her mind was too busy racing with questions. She just couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that John was in the flesh, there. With them.

Finally.

She wasn't sure how to feel about any of it, and what worried her most was how Sam might've been taking it.

Her eyes flashed over to the back of his head as he sat seemingly impatient while they waited for John to make his way back over to them.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gone over with him." Sam sulked, earning a slight sigh from her and an eye roll from his older brother.

"Oh don't tell me it's already starting." Dean groaned.

"I warned you." Rory spoke earning a glare from him to which she shrugged at.

"What's starting?" Sam voiced, confused. The question went on ignored as John rejoined the group.

"What have you got?" Dean asked, ready to be done with the pending subject that was his brother and his daddy issues.

"It was them all right. Looks like they're heading west. We'll have to double back to get around that detour." Answered the aged hunter. Rory listened intently, already imagining the high level of stress this hunt was about to bring them.

"How can you be so sure?" Sam questioned. Rory blinked before flashing her eyes to the sky.

 _Here we go.._

"Sam..." Dean warned him.

"I just wanna know we're going in the right direction." Sam answered back sharply.

"We are." John returned just as sharp.

"How do you know?" Sam answered back. Rory cringed, pinching her nose as the stress began to circle around her, but removed her fingers once she saw John make a move to place an item in Dean's hands.

"I found this." He went on to explain.

"Oh wow." Rory voiced, eyes sparkling with amazement as she moved closer to Dean to get a better look.

"It's a...a vampire fang." He spoke, tone matching hers.

"Not fangs, teeth. The second set descends when they attack." John corrected, eyes lit with pride seeing the excitement on his children's faces.

"Well that's fun." Rory mused.

"Any more questions?" John looked over at Sam who in return looked away and remained silent.

Rory tipped her brow up, keeping quiet herself, not wanting to make n

"All right, let's get out of here, we're losing daylight." John spoke before rounding the Impala and heading towards his respective car, gently brushing passed Rory who sighed while moving towards the backdoor.

"Hey Dean why don't you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn't have given you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it." He scolded his first born, earning a hurt expression in return. Dean's eyes flashed with hurt and his shoulder dropped when he made it to his side of the car, pausing next to Rory who shook her head at John for his unnecessary comment.

She would've smacked him right then and there if she could've.

"Okay. C'mon, we know you take care of her, don't worry c'mon." She said, patting his shoulder as he painted an embarrassed look on his face before getting into his car leaving Rory and Sam to look at each other for a moment. Sam watched her with an 'I told you so' look on his face.

"Shut up and get in." She responded, opening her door, feeling the frustration for John Winchester strengthen.

* * *

"'Vampires nest in groups of eight to ten. Smaller packs are sent to hunt for food. Victims are taken to the nest where the pack keeps them alive, bleeding them for days or weeks.' I wonder if that's what happened to that 911 couple." Dean spoke after finishing reading up on vampires. Aurora cringed for the couple, not able to imagine the kind of torture they must've been through.

"Ugh, makes my skin crawl just thinking of what could've happened to them." She said.

"That's probably what Dad's thinking. Course it would be nice if he just told us what he thinks." Sam added, a little grumpily. Rory had picked up on his change of mood the minute it happened, and knew it was only a matter of time before the young Winchester would explode.

"So it is starting." Dena spoke, keeping his eyes on the reading in his lap.

"What?" Sam asked innocently.

"Sam, we've been looking for Dad all year. Now we're not with him for more than a couple of hours and there's static already?" Dean went on to say.

"Hmph. No. Look, I'm happy he's ok, all right? And I'm happy that we're all working together again." Sam replied, and Rory could hear the sincerity in his voice, though she knew there was more to be said.

"Well good." Dean nodded, happy to end the conversation there.

Rory squinted, eyeing her best friend in the rearview.

"..Spit it out."

"It's just the way he treats us, like we're children. I mean Rore I know you see it."

"Oh God." Dean rolled his eyes.

"He does have a point Dean." Aurora shared, not able to deny the fact.

"He barks orders at us Dean, he expects us to follow 'em without question. He keeps us on some crap need-to-know deal." Sam boiled over, really showcasing his frustrations to the group. It was only then that Rory could get a true sense of his deeply rooted anger.

"He does what he does for a reason."

"What reason?"

"Our job! There's no time to argue, there's no margin for error, all right? That's just the way the old man runs things."

"Yeah well maybe that worked when we were kids but not anymore, all right. Not after everything you and I have been through, Dean. I mean, are you telling me you're cool with just falling into line, and letting him run the whole show?" Sam watched his brother challengingly, also earning a curios glance from Rory. She knew Dean well enough to know that he too agreed with Sam. But she also knew that he adored his father. John was his hero, and because of that, Dean wanted nothing more than to make his hero happy, no matter the cost.

She just wished he would say something for once.

She noted the weak expression on his face, and the look he portrayed as if he were having an internal battle with himself.

"If that's what it takes." He answered, earning a sigh from the blonde in the backseat. She sat back in her seat and looked out the window at the blurring scenery, picking out words for her to tell John when the right moment presented itself.

She wouldn't sit around and watch as these boys broke their necks for this man. It wasn't right to her.

They needed more from him. They deserved more.

Sam shook his head.


	43. Dead Man's Blood Pt II

**Manning Colorado**

 **October 26th, 2006**

"AGH!" Rory cursed under her breath holding her head as the car came to an abrupt stop. She did her best to keep her attention off of the burning pain in her chest as well as the throbbing in her temple after hitting the window.

"Dammit Sam! Angel, you okay?" She heard Dean ask, anger sitting in his voice. Her eyes blinked open as the pain dissipated and she was met with Dean's concerned eyes when he turned to face her in the back.

"What the hell was that? Did we get hit?" She looked around urgently for any sign of a collision.

"We're about to." Dean answered quickly, hurrying out of the car after his brother once he was sure Aurora was injury free.

"Oh crap. Here we go...Sam!"

Rory darted her gaze everywhere, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She furrowed her brows when she realized they'd been parked in front of none other than John's truck on a lonely side road, and not too far away were Sam and John in the center of the road, both wearing angry faces with Dean in the middle, which meant nothing good.

"Shhhit." She uttered, rushing out of the car, completely ignoring her pain to go and help Dean.

"Sam!"

"What the hell was that." Rory rushed around John, placing herself opposite from Dean ready to mediate.

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"About **everything**. Where we going Dad. What's the big deal about this gun?" Sam demanded, nostrils flared.

"Sammy, come on, we can Q and A after we kill all the vampires." Dean tried.

"Your brother's right, we don't have time for this."

"I agree, Sam. **Not** now-"

"Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous for us to be together. Now out of the blue you need our help." Sam cut Rory off, completely ignoring their pleas to end the feud.

"Now obviously something big is going down, and we wanna know what!" He roared, and Rory shrunk under his tone, not having seen him so angry in such a long time.

"Get back in the car." John answered completely unfazed by his sons tantrum.

"No." Sam returned, shocking the hell out of Rory.

"Sam."

"I said get back in the damn car." John rose his voice.

"Yeah. And I said no."

"Ok you made your point tough guy. Look we're all tired, we can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on." Dean grabbed his brother by the jacket and shoved him back towards the car roughly, trying to shake some sense into him as best as he could leaving Aurora and John behind.

The older man looked down at her with eyes blazing with shock and anger.

"I don't know." She put up both hands in surrender.

"This is why I left in the first place." Sam uttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What'd you say?" John asked, feeling the anger rise in his throat.

"You heard me." Sam swung back around.

"Yeah. You left. Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away, Sam."

"Guys come on." Rory spoke, feeling defeated.

"You walked away!" John yelled in Sam's face, shoving him hard in the chest causing Rory to take a gentle hold of his wrist.

"John!"

" **Stop** it, both of you." Dean begged.

"You're the one who said don't come back Dad, you closed that door not me. You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!" Sam roared furosciously as his father grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, forcing Dean to step in and pry them apart.

"Listen, stop it, stop it. Stop it! That's enough!" He shouted while the two hot headed hunters glared at each other over his head.

"That means you too." Rory tagged in, flashing angry eyes at the adult of the group.

"That's **enough**." She finished, voice hard with authority.

After a moment, Sam peeled away first, getting back into the Impala before John could turn and head back towards his car leaving both Dean and Aurora standing in the middle, alone. They look from one to the other before meeting each others eyes.

Rory wanted nothing more than to comfort him, seeing his shoulders slumped with defeat and his emerald hues darken with disappointment.

"You okay?" She decided to try. Dean shook his head briskly and cast his gaze to the night air.

"Terrific." He answered, flapping his arms up and walking back to the car before she could utter a response.

Rory shut her mouth, and sighed before looking up at the sky.

"A little help here?" She uttered, chest heaving as she caught her breath.

* * *

Aurora was still bothered by what happened between the boys and their father, but she knew that for the betterment of the job, she'd have to swallow her pride and push her feelings aside to get it done.

There were still lives to save after all.

She hid in the trees, crouched down next to Dean, Sam and John as they staked out the vampires nest.

Her eyes shut as she let her lungs fill with damp air. Her hand braced on the bark, feel the flaky nature of the exterior as it crumbled and peeled, with a crackling sound. And like every other time she was surrounded by nature, she couldn't swallow the urge.

John, as if witnessing a miracle, allowed his jaw to fall open in amazement when the same brittle, old deceasing tree trunk began to regain it's natural brown color. The sap glistened like honey in the veins of the bark, and slowly but surely it's leaves began to grow rich with green as it's branches stretched and cracked back into shape.

Sam smiled small, admiring the sight before him whilst Dean just watched Rory.

"Rore." He called out to her, causing her to jerk her hand away, as if she'd touched a hot pot. She blinked out of her trance and looked over at the men beside her, face flushed with blood. Her mouth fell open to spill words.

"I-..."

"She-...sorta...does that..sometimes." Dean turned to explain to his father, at a loss for most words.

John couldn't tear his eyes off of the half grown tree, but somehow he found a way to place his gaze on her and it was as if he'd seen Jesus himself.

Rory shied away from his stare.

"Sorry. I-I don't know. It's hard to control sometimes." She faced forward.

Sam cleared his throat when nothing else was said.

John only looked on in awe, staring intently at the young female hunter as if he would spill with questions any minute, but he held them back.

"Incoming." Rory's voice shook him out of his head and sharply he turned to look forward.

In the distance they could see a beaten down Camaro pull up, and a man, possibly Dean's age, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans step out of the barn to meet with the visitor. Rory furrowed her brows.

They looked so normal.

"Geez...makes you wonder just who is a vampire huh? These guys seem like regular human beings." She spoke her thoughts.

"Seriously. Son of a bitch. So they're really not afraid of the sun?" Dean added in question.

"Ahh, direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn. The only way to kill 'em is by beheading. And yeah, they sleep during the day - doesn't mean they won't wake up." Answered John.

"So I guess walking right in's not our best option." Dean replied.

"Actually, that's the plan." John returned, causing them to turn their heads and look at him as if he'd lost his head.

"Of course it is." Rory quipped, not surprised with the direction John wanted to take.

* * *

"Ya'know, I'm really hating this whole carpool thing. I don't get to flash my arsenal trunk and show off like you guys." Rory sulked before tucking her phone back into her pocket, standing in the space between the Impala and Johns truck, staring in awe as he activated his automatic hidden compartment that slid out from the back of his truck.

"I mean what is that?" She muttered, earning a soft genuine chuckle from John as he rounded the trunk.

"Dad, I've got an extra machete if you need one." Dean offered, holding up the weapon of choice for his father to see. Rory tipped a brow, wanting to see if the older man would humbly accept his offer, or flash his seemingly brand new machete in his son's face. She chuckled and playfully rolled her eyes when John unveiled his massive shiny serrated edge machete from it's leather holder, already knowing the answer.

"I think I'm ok. Thanks." He answered.

"Wow." Dean replied in awe, giving the weapon a once over.

Rory couldn't hide her amusement as she stepped over to her ex, reaching for the worn machete in his hand. She eyed it, holding the tip with one hand and balancing it out with the other.

"I'll take it." She said.

"So, you kids really wanna know about this Colt?" John spoke up suddenly earning the attention from all of them, Sam especially.

"Yes sir." He answered.

"It's just a story, a legend really. Well I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter...Back in 1835, when Halley's comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo. They say Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him. And somehow Daniel got his hands on it."

Rory hung on every word, engrossed in the story, wondering if it were true, wondering if the end of that demon, lied in the hands of whoever had possession of that colt. She knew that was what he needed it for. Nothing else made more sense than that.

"They say... they say this gun can kill anything." John continued.

"Kill anything like, supernatural anything?" Dean asked.

"Like the demon." Sam finished. John threw his eyes on Rory, and she suddenly understood it all.

In one look, she was finally able to piece everything together.

"Yeah, the demon. Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun - we may have it." He told them.

A breath escaped Rory's chest, one she had no idea she was holding.

* * *

 **Vampire's Nest**

 **Manning, Colorado**

 **October 26th, 2006**

John swung the barn window inwards, and jumped through before disappearing from their view. Next, Sam followed, and then Rory, with Dean bringing up the rear. Slowly and discreetly they surveyed their surroundings. It was dark and musty, and there was an odor in the air that immediately brought discomfort to Rory's stomach. Scattered in cots and hammocks, vampires of all types slept, and the room was as quiet as it could get. Which in Aurora's opinion made it harder to be quiet.

They'd made a plan. Sam, Dean and Rory looked for any hostages, and free them while John looked out for the colt.

It was reckless to say the least, and Aurora didn't like it one bit, but she knew better than to argue with John. It was better to keep it in until later, when there weren't any sleeping vampires around.

Soon enough they split up, and she kept a close eye on Sam while she trailed behind him as they made their way through the barn. The sound of a clank caused her to jump at attention and spin around to back up Dean, only to find that he'd kicked a bottle that had been laying on the ground. She held her breath as he watched the sleeping vampire, ready to strike should it have woken, but it didn't.

She sighed, and he caught her eyes for a moment, delivering an apologetic stare.

She shook her head and continued on, trying to see where Sam had gone to,

Praying that they all got out of this alive.

A few moments later she spotted him in a nearby corner, crouched down next to an unconscious woman, whom she assumed was the missing person from the 9-1-1 call. She was tied to a pole and looked to be beaten pretty badly, but she was thankfully breathing.

"Dean." Sam whispered over Rory's shoulder as he began to untie the woman.

Suddenly a noise was heard, and they froze.

"There's more." Dean spoke barely above a whisper before making his way over to a locked metal grid. Inside, people were tied up, sleeping and unconscious. He couldn't help but feel bad for them. He saw the lock on the door, and grabbed a metal hook to break it.

Aurora and Sam looked up sharply at the noise and then over to the hammocks where by some miracle, everyone was still asleep.

The woman tied up against the pole began to stir.

"Sam." Rory patted her partner in crime grabbing his attention.

"Hey. Hey hey, shh, I'm here to help you." He whispered calmly, only to have the woman release an unearthly roar causing them both to rear back in fear and confusion.

"Shit! They turned her!"

"Sam!" They heard Dean.

Rory wasted no time grabbing Sam.

"Move!" She urged, knowing they'd have to make a run for it.

"Run!" They could hear John's voice from somewhere inside, but couldn't place it.

They all eyed each other before taking off. Dean pushed Rory in front, making sure she stayed ahead of him at all times while calling for John as they ran. The vampires were close on their tails, so much so that the hunters practically bursted through the barn doors into the daylight.

They kept moving up the slope to the cars before turning to look back for John.

"I don't see him, JOHN!" Rory called out, catching her breath.

"Dad?" Dean followed, but there was no response.

"Dad!" He tried again.

After a long pause John came running up the slope and they made to leave ready to put as much distance between them and the vampires as they could.

"They won't follow." John's voice stopped them in their tracks.

"They'll wait till tonight. Once a vampire has your scent, it's for life." He explained, causing Rory's gut to tighten.

" **Life?** " She repeated.

"Well what the hell do we do now?" Asked Dean.

"You gotta find the nearest funeral home, that's what." John answered, earning looks of confusion in return.

* * *

 **Motel**

 **Manning, Colorado**

 **October 26th, 2006**

"Just give them a moment." Rory and Dean sat in the Impala, facing the motel. They could see the silhoette of Sam pacing back and forth behind the curtain.

Dean knit his brows together.

"Why?" He asked in confusion. Rory removed her hand from his arm that was holding him in place.

"Because they need to talk and hash things out before I go back in there, because if they break out into another argument I swear to God and all his angels, I'll start swingin'. We got the blood. He can't say anything else." She spoke. Dean looked from her, and back to the room.

"And what if they're not and we're just wasting time?" He said earning a look from her.

"It's Sam. They're talking." She returned. Dean shrugged, not able to argue with that.

"Or yelling." He muttered, shifting his weight in his seat, getting comfortable.

"Besides, I wanna talk to you anyway, make sure you're okay." Rory's words made him tense, and that much was obvious to even her. Dean sighed.

"Rory-"

"Don't 'Rory' me like I don't know who you are. Look I know we don't talk like we used to and I know we've had our issues, but that doesn't mean I'm not here to listen. This bothers you, and I know that much because it bothers the hell outta me. They've been at each others throats since the moment we found John. And I know all you wanna do right now is be one big happy family." She expressed, genuinely wanting to be there for him, like she used to be.

If only he'd allow her to.

"Yeah well, it doesn't seem to be going how I want does it? I mean...I don't know." Dean sighed, stress evident in his features.

"Tired of fighting. All we do is fight. I just want some friggen peace for once." He spoke his mind, shaking his head.

"I know." She uttered.

"Do you?" He returned, tipping a brow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rory asked, taking offense to his tone.

"I see the way you look at him, like you wanna say something but you won't and it's frustrating you, I can tell." Rory paused, processing his words before scoffing.

"You're one to talk-"

"You forget I know you too?" He countered just as smartly.

Rory exhaled, knowing he had a point.

"I'm just...disappointed in him is all." She admit.

"Why? And don't say because of us, I know you've got your own personal issues with the guy, I mean hell everybody does." Dean gruffed in annoyance.

"That's...a story for another day. But believe me, it's not as serious as you and Sam's issues with him. I just..want him to do better by you guys." She vented.

"Yeah, well, don't hold your breath." He snorted.

Silence fell over their heads for a moment, and being honest with herself, Rory found peace in it.

"Speaking of powers-"

"No one said anything about powers." Rory cut in dryly, already knowing where he was going with the change of subject.

"What was up with that whole uh...thing with the tree back there Mother Nature?"

"Oh shut up."

"No really, what happened? I mean were you trying to show dad or?-Cause you know there are more subtle ways-"

"What? No of course not! I just-...you know I cant control it. It's like an itch I have to scratch I can't-...let nature die, I can't stand to see people hurting. My soul won't allow it. For some reason..." She lost herself in thought for a moment, and Dean could tell as much.

"I mean, it was funny seeing the look on his face. I don't think I've ever seen dad speechless before." He spoke lightly, earning a slight chuckle from the young blonde.

"Seriously, I think you nearly stopped his heart." He joked, chuckling.

"Shut up." Rory giggled.

Together their laughter died down and they fell into a familiar quiet again. It was nice, for both of them.

It felt like old times. Things weren't as tense as they were after Dean found out about Noah, fortunately. Slowly but surely they were able to stand each other again. The friendship wasn't as strong, but it was getting there, and Rory was hell bent on getting them back to normal.

She wouldn't give up on him.

"I uh-, think they're good." He cleared his throat, cutting through the quiet.

"Huh? How do you know?" Rory asked, sitting up in her seat, looking out the windshield for Sam's silhouette.

"Sam's not pacing anymore." He answered with a smirk, glancing at her.

She met his eyes and found herself lost for words. Her breath caught in her throat and she stumbled over her thoughts.

Dean lost himself in her icy-grey eyes, not able to fight the sense of calmness he had whenever he was around her. He had to admit, he felt a lotta better having gotten things off of his chest.

"...Thanks..for uh..for listening." He forced out earning a nod from Rory, grabbing the bottle of blood from her lap.

"Of course." She uttered, glancing down at his lips when he'd done the same.

She blinked, leaning in and before she knew it, Dean was pulling away and opening the door to get out.

"C'mon." He spoke as he moved, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts for a moment.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid..." she whispered when she lost sight of Dean.


	44. Dead Man's Blood Pt III

John handed Dean a bag and they moved from the Impala's trunk back toward the fire where Sam and Rory patrolled with their machetes.

"How you holdin' out Sammy?" She decided to ask, feeling as though she'd waited long enough to ask the question.

He looked up from the fire over to her.

"I'm dealin'. You know how it goes." He smirked softly for her earning one from her as well.

"Boy do I ever." She quipped, Sam snorted in return just as John made his way over to them.

"Toss this on the fire. Saffron, skunk's cabbage and trillium. It'll block our scent and hers, until we're ready." He instructed.

"Stuff stinks!" Dean coughed with a grimace. Rory rolled her eyes.

"That's the idea. Dust your clothes with the ashes, and you stand a chance of not being detected." Their father replied.

"You sure they'll come after 'er?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. Vampires mate for life. She means more to the leader than the gun. But the blood sickness is going to wear off soon, so you don't have a lot of time." John informed the group. Rory was sure to keep her ears open for any outside noises.

"A half hour oughta do it." Sam said.

"And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can." John spoke. Aurora flashed her eyes away from the darkened greenery over to the eldest Winchester.

"But w-"

"Well, Dad you can't take care of them all yourself." Dean cut off Sam.

"I'll have her. And the Colt." John answered, not up for the argument.

"But after. We're gonna meet up, right? Use the gun **together** _._ Right?" Said Sam. Rory darted her eyes over to him and back to John waiting for the answer she knew they wouldn't want to hear.

Long pause.

"John." She warned him, a firm tone in her voice. He ignored her glare, and Rory deflated, looking to Dean for help, but all he did was stand and stare.

"You're leaving again ,aren't you. You still wanna go after the demon alone. You know, I don't get you. You can't treat us like this." Sam expressed, his voice hardening.

"Like what?" John responded.

"Like children." Sam argued.

"He's got a point John." Rory tried to help him see reason.

"You are my children. I'm trying to keep you safe."

"Dad, all due respect but, uh, that's a bunch of crap." Dean spoke up, causing Rory and Sam to nearly break their necks in shock at the surprising tone in his voice.

Even John fell silent for a moment.

"Excuse me?" He bit.

"You know what Sammy, Rory and I have been hunting. Hell you sent us on a few hunting trips yourself. You can't be that worried about keeping us safe." Dean continued, and Rory couldn't help but allow the pride to show in her eyes.

"It's not the same thing, Dean."

"Then what is it? Why do you want us out of the big fight?" He countered yet again.

"This demon? It's a bad son of a bitch. I can't make the same moves if I'm worried about keeping you alive."

"You mean you can't be as reckless." Dean corrected dryly.

"Look... I don't expect to make it out of this fight in one piece. Your mother's death ... it almost killed me. I can't watch my children die too. I won't."

"So you're plan is to go on a big suicide mission instead?" Rory commented.

"What happens if you die? Dad, what happens if you die, and we could'a done something about it?" Dean spoke, forcing Rory to think of the possibility in her mind, and the thought of a reality like the one he described made her sick.

"You know I been thinking. I-...think maybe Sammy's right about this one. We should do this together."

"He's right John."

"We're stronger as a family, Dad. We just are. You know it." Dean finished strongly.

"We're running out of time. You do your job and you get out of the area. That's an order." John never gave them a chance to respond, and instead, walked off.

Rory looked to the boys for their reaction, and instantly she felt the fire fanning in her belly. Dean was crushed inside, that much she could tell by the emotion splayed all across his face. And Sam was angry, itching for answers that his own father wouldn't give no matter what. Her jaw clenched as well as her fists.

"I'll be back." She started for him.

"Angel-"

"No Dean." She spat, looking over her shoulder at Dean who's eyes followed her marching figure.

Catching up to John was no problem for her. She'd cut him off just before he could reach the door handle to his truck.

"Hey." She rounded him, sticking herself between the door and him.

John sighed, stepping back a step from the spitfire.

"Aurora-"

"What the **hell** is your problem?!" She lashed out, not at all trying to mask her hostility.

"Excuse me?-"

"You heard me. And don't try and pull the authority card on me, it won't take, because unlike your boys, I'm not afraid of you, and plus if you hit me, my father would kick your ass." She challenged.

John rolled his eyes in return, shoving his hand deep into the pockets of his jacket.

"There's work to be done, get out of my way-"

"No! Now shut up and listen for a second dammit!"

John's shoulders slumped as another breath escaped his lips.

"You have no right as a father to come into these boys' lives and put them through what you have, leave, and then come back and put them through more! That's not fair John!-"

"I didn't ask for any of this okay? I didn't ask for a demon to murder my wife, I didn't ask for that same demon to murder my son's girlfriend alright? I didn't ask for any of it-"

"And somehow you think they did?!" Rory pointed out toward the boys who looked on in shock. John met their gazes before looking back to the young woman in front of him with a stony expression.

"God I could hit you right now! The things that fly over your head sometimes John! These boys love you, you're their hero, and they spent everyday for a year searching for you. They lost sleep, they argued-"

"They're brothers-"

"They nearly died! And they **finally** found you and you just wanna pick up and leave them without even giving them a good reason?!" She erupted.

"Ariel-"

"You're selfish." She barked back, earning a squint of disbelief from John in return.

"What did you just say?-"

"You're selfish John. You're selfish and you're arrogant, and you're reckless. You'll do anything it takes if it means putting an end to your suffering, but meanwhile you're just creating that same suffering for others. Your own children. **Me**. What about me? I-...I don't even know what the hell is happening to me! I mean you saw that out there in the woods earlier. You mean to tell me you cold just pick up and leave me behind?" John deflated as her words processed in his mind, and Rory softened her tone when it looked like she'd finally made some kind of impact.

"I'm doing all that I can to help keep this family together. But there's only so much more I can do. I'm not the glue John, you are. And you leaving right now is tearing us apart." She breathed as sadness clouded her features, feeling her hands tremble as the emotion took over her.

"So you can either hear me, and hear your boys when we tell you **don't leave**...or you can, and see where we all end up." She finished, her mouth closing into a thin hard line as John frowned deeply.

They stared into each others eyes desperately.


	45. Dead Man's Blood Pt IV

**AN: HEY ALL! So I know I've been pretty inconsistent lately. Finals have been kicking my ass, but it's over now so I imagine I'll have more time to feed you more adds :) YAY right?! Anywho, I'm so excited to share this chapter with you all seeing as we're approaching the end of season 1!**

 **So stay tuned for all the upcoming drama, and I might even squeeze in a lemon or 2 ;)**

 **Okay so! You know what to do in the meantime, Leave your love!**

 **COMMENT! REVIEW! COMMENT! REVIEW!**

 **Enjoy**

 **xoxo**

* * *

 **Vampire's Nest**

 **Manning Colorado**

 **October 27th, 2006**

"Okay we gotta go." Rory hurried, rushing her words as the last of the hostages were freed from their cage. The boys stopped to look at her, slight confusion splayed across her face.

"Wait what?" Dean asked, not sure he'd heard her right. He sure as hell heard his father when he demanded them to follow his orders though.

"We gotta go help your dad, we can't leave him to take on those dicks alone." She repeated.

"Yeah, Dean she's right." Sam agreed, earning a ridiculous look from his older brother.

"He doesn't want our help. Okay what more do you need-"

"I need you to grow a pair and stand up to your father." Rory shot out the first thought on her mind. Dean paused, blinking for a moment and registering her words.

"What?"

"Stand up to your father Dean." She reiterated, tired of having to push them to do what they knew was right. Unfortunately for them, the right thing was going against their fathers wishes, but they had no choice. She'd rather them get into a little trouble with John then to have something terrible happen to him and have to watch the boys regret it for the rest of their lives.

 _No way._

"He might not want our help, but he sure as hell needs it. So we're gonna give it to him." Rory glowered, eyes fierce with determination as she stared at the boys.

"Whether he likes it or not." She finished, earning a sigh of defeat from Dean.

She smirked, feeling triumphant.

 _Man I'm on fire_ , she thought to herself.

"And I get to use the bow and arrow now." She winked before walking off towards her car.

Sam shook his head in amusement.

"She's-"

"Shut up." Sam didn't even get the chance before Dean cut him off and stalked off behind Rory.

* * *

She could remember the days, back when she was approaching her adult years, when she and Dean had taken archery classes in high-school. They were the best in their class, Rory even better than him. She knew just how to hold the bow and how to carry. She had impeccable aim, always able to determine her target, and never missed one.

Ever.

She witnessed he scene unfolding before her as she hid in the trees in between Sam and Dean.

"Get ready." Dean whispered next to her, holding his gun at the ready. Rory relaxed her muscles, sucking in a deep breath waiting for the perfect moment to strike, yet wasting no time straightening her posture and assuming her shooting stance, just as she'd practiced in high-school. She calmly recited the words in her head like a mantra.

 _Assume your stance._

 _Raise._

 _Draw._

 _Aim..._

She chose her target, following their every move with the tip of her arrow.

As John was pelted back into the glass window of his truck door, glass shattering and falling to the ground around him on impact.

 _Release._

A piercing sound ripped through the air the moment she relaxed her fingers, and watched the arrow fly, catching her vampire target off guard.

"Move!" Dean instructed, not a moment later, breaking through the forestry with Sam and Rory hot on his heels.

She stopped and lined up to take another shot at another vampire, trusting that the boys had her back.

At the sound of struggle, she whipped around only to find Sam in a deadly choke hold by the pack leader.

"Sam!" She readied to fire another arrow, but as her fingers reached back into her quiver she realized there was none left.

"Shit." She cursed dropping her bow to take hold of the pistol in her waistband, knowing it wouldn't do any good+

"Don't! I'll break his neck. Put the blade down." The leader threatened, voice tight and laced with venom. Dean and Rory froze, worry gracing their features as Sam yelped for air.

The clanking sound of Dean dropping his machete sounded, forcing Rory to follow suit, lowering her weapon to the ground.

"You people. Why can't you leave us alone. We have as much right to live as you do."

"I don't think so." Rory, being so caught up in the life or death situation that Sam had been tied up in, snapped her eyes up over his shoulder, finding the person whom the voice belonged to, and watched as John rose the colt and pulled the trigger.

It was the strangest, most peculiar and miraculous thing she'd ever witnessed.

The vampire gasped for air as he stumbled. A brief flash of light reflecting the skeleton of the supernatural creature the bullet punctured, before it fell dead to its knees.

"Lutherrrr!"

Another flash of light passed through him and he slumped to the ground dead, leaving Dean, Sam, and Rory stunned.

Screeching tires snapped her out of her dream state, and she turned to face the retreating vehicle as it sped away into the night.

"Well that was..wow." She commented, spinning around to face the boys, finding John with a grin on his lips.

He looked happy, for once.

Which could only mean good things for them.

* * *

 **Motel Room**

 **Manning Colorado**

 **October 28th, 2006**

"So we saved you." Rory shut the trunk to her beloved car after throwing her stuff in. Lazily, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned her weight against the trunk while eyeing her boots at an angle. They were worn and beginning to tear at the toe. She grimaced slightly.

When she didn't get a reply, she turned her gaze up, finding John with a blank face.

"What? You know it's true." She shrugged, not at all fazed by his classic John Winchester attitude.

"And let me guess, you had everything to do with the boys disobeying my orders?" He rolled his eyes, casting them up to the sky before landing them back down to her.

"I don't know, why don't you go on in there and find out." She smirked tightly, allowing his harsh comment to roll right off her shoulders, answering not even a second later and loving the fact that she was getting to him so easily.

It was always a good time whenever you got to annoy John Winchester.

"Alright look clearly you're not enthused about-well-anything right now, so I'll cut to the chase. Are you're staying?" She dared to ask, not caring how much the question may or may not have bothered him.

She needed to know.

"Is that a question or a demand?" He quipped, tone hard and dull.

"You tell me." She matched him, not understanding why he was choosing to be so harsh towards her. Sure she was annoying him on purpose, but she and the boys had practically saved his ass.

No, they did, and she wasn't about to feel any type of remorse for doing so.

John would have to get over it, and get over himself.

"I don't know, you've been pretty snippy with me since I showed up." He replied shortly afterwards.

"Well I would've done it sooner but you wouldn't pick up your phone." She smarted. John gave a bitter scoff, tossing his bags into the trunk of his truck.

"...Go home Aurora." He spat causing her to pause, the hurt flashing in her eyes before she blinked it clean from them. She shifted her weight and cleared her throat, trying to think of a response.

"Home huh?-"

"Yeah. You made it clear these boys are a burden-"

"A bur-a **burden**?-"

"You know what I get that I haven't been around. I get it!" John hissed, keeping a low tone as he stepped closer to the young spitfire, eyes blazing with anger.

"Do you? Do you John? I mean really, **do you** understand that those boys worship and kiss the ground you walk on? Do you get that-"

" **Don't** talk to me about my boys." Aurora froze with shock, processing his hurtful words with a blink of an eye.

She weighed her options in her mind, trying to balance out the pros and cons of every outcome.

She could yell, and curse, and throw a punch, and leave.

She could talk it out rationally, and curse, and leave.

...Or she could just leave.

The argument between them was growing more and more intense, and heated by the second. Their voices dripped and splattered against the ground, heavy with venom and hostility as they tried to keep it to a minimum volume, not wanting the boys to overhear.

Dean was right, Rory had her own personal issues with John that she needed to sort through, with him.

It was now or never.

"So why don't you do me a favor and stop trying to lecture me about my children?" He barked setting his mouth into a hard line.

"Why don't you act like a father for once." She sized him up, not backing down for a moment. John continued to hold her glare with just as much intensity.

"I called for **months**. I called you. I texted I-I-I-...I begged you for help. I-...I had a **miscarriage,** I was lying in a **ditch** in a mangled car, and I had **no one**." The tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall over, but she held them in. She wouldn't cry over Noah. Not for John. He didn't deserve as much from her.

His eyes drooped down at the corners as his brows knit together at the center of her forehead while the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"I had a miscarriage, and I had no one. I didn't have Dean, I didn't have Sammy, and I didn't have you. So you know what? I think I will ' **go home** '." She finished, welcoming the tense air around them to become their silence.

John's glare slipped from his face as the sadness began to pool in his eyes, and with a shake of his head, he stalked off into the motel room where his sons waited, leaving Rory alone with her grudge and her thoughts.

She took a good look at the door allowing the anger and ill feelings fade from her being, and debated with herself about going inside and telling the boys goodbye, but thought against it. She could wait until John finished having a much needed conversation with them. Besides, she'd done enough, she'd done everything she could to show John how much his boys needed him.

They'd understand her sudden departure. She had to step back and catch her breath for a moment, feeling that if she didn't soon, she'd breakdown.

It was John's turn to fix his family.

He was the glue.

Besides, she had a family of her own that she needed to check on.

"Speaking of home.." She uttered while pulling out her phone and swiping to unlock the screen so that she could dial her father.


	46. Devil's Trap Pt I

**Bobby's**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **October 30th, 2006**

Rory exhaled sharply.

It took about a ten hours drive to get back home from Manning, and about ten minutes for her to thoroughly explain to her father once she had exactly what her, the boys and John had gone through during their..adventures. The boys weren't at all with the idea of her returning home and leaving them with John, agreeing that she was the light in a terribly dim situation, but she assured them that she'd return soon enough and that if they needed her, to just call.

Last she checked, they were pulling a major mission in Salvation somewhere, one that had to do with Sam's visions. She found it incredible yet terrifying to know that the demon would be making an appearance sometime soon, and as much as she wanted to be around for that show, she knew John didn't want her around, and truth be told, it was probably best she didn't get involved with family business. John's hurtful words made it pretty clear to her that she wasn't a part of that equation.

Not really anyway.

So for now, she'd stand on the sidelines whispering thoughtful prayers for them and their safety.

Bobby seemed anything but impressed, staring long and hard at her through calculating eyes.

"And now you're back?" His brow rose in speculation as he stood at the kitchen counter just a little ways away from his daughter.

"He asked me to leave. Politely might I add." She answered back, waving her beer with every hand movement.

"Yeah. Right." He rolled his eyes in disbelief whilst Rory chuckled in return.

"And I just needed a break from all the family drama."She shrugged, taking a few steps over to the kitchen table and pulling out a chair to sit on. Bringing the rim of the beer bottle to her lips and her eyes to the ceiling as she tipped it back to take a sip.

"I can't imagine why." He dulled bitterly. Rory gave a dry glance his way before turning it onto the grimy stove top.

"So where are they now?"

"Salvation, Iowa." She replied.

"Doing what?" Bobby interrogated, not missing a beat.

"Going after the demon."

" **The** demon?"

"So they believe." Rory sighed.

"And you're choosing to be here instead of there?" He tipped his brow up finding it hard to believe that she would miss out on a perfectly good hunt such as the one she spoke of.

"Dude what's with the 20 questions?" Aurora sassed.

"Cause I'm your father and I wanna know what's goin' on."

"Well how about I ask you some questions, like what'd you have to eat for lunch? Other than the sarcasm?" She quipped.

"A sandwich. You?" He answered back.

"This beer." She smirked cheekily, holding up her beverage. Bobby delivered an eye roll, wondering how he ever could've expected a less sarcastic answer from his daughter.

"Filling. Look I uh, I'm happy to have ya back and safe, and I'd hate to cut your vacation short but uh..I think I might've stumbled up on somethin'." He went on to say.

Rory's threw all of her attention on him while hanging on every word. There were only two possilities of what he may or may not have been speaking of.

"About the demon?" She tried one.

"No, you." Aurora froze, eyeing her father and dispelling every trace of sarcasm from her tone as she worked on a response.

"...A-about me?"

"Yeah. It's not everything, but it's a start." Bobby shifted on his feet as she set her beer down, ready to listen to whatever it was he had to say.

"Anything is gold at this point." She spoke.

* * *

"I-...I gotta call Missouri-"

"I called her already, she's the one who helped me out." Bobby told her as she and her father sat in the library of his worn home. Bobby sat comfortably in the chair behind his desk, while Rory hovered over his shoulder, rereading the words in the untitled book over and over again. It had taken a couple hours for Bobby to thoroughly go through the information with his daughter and then for her to go over it on her own so she could better understand the information herself. The shock and confusion settled nicely on her face and pooled in her icy-grey hues.

She couldn't believe what she had learned, after all the time that had gone by, it seemed impossible that she'd ever stumble upon anything now.

"Then we gotta call the boys." She breathed, pushing away from the desk and her father to pace the room, running a trembling hand through her freshly straightened tresses.

"Aurora-"

"Dad." She spun around to face him. Bobby sighed, seeing the desperation in her eyes.

"We have to tell them, we have to tell John, maybe they can help!-"

"The only thing John Winchester is gonna do, is help get you killed. I don't think so."

"Oh would you two get over yourselves and your high school drama already? He knows something about me." She admit, witnessing the curiosity in her fathers eyes as he squinted.

"What do you mean he knows about you?" Bobby leaned forward in his seat a little, wanting to be closer to the situation.

"A while ago he called me-"

"When?" Bobby interrupted, voice hard.

"April. He told me that I had to remember my dreams, but he wouldn't say why. M-maybe this has something to do with it." She spoke with a hopeful tone, thinking that maybe now was the time that the pieces to the puzzle that was her life were finally falling into place.

"So lemme get this right. He knew something all this time and didn't bother to share that information with you up until recently and at the first chance at a clue, you're willing to drop every dime you have to tell him? Somehow it doesn't seem fair to me-"

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU!" Aurora bellowed in a raucous tone, eyes wild with desperation. Bobby deflated, not used to being on the receiving end of her frustration.

"This isn't even about **me**! This is-...this is bigger than me, it's bigger than all of us dad!" She tried to get him to understand.

"..We have to call them."

Her head turned to the right, facing the couch where she knew she'd find her singing cell phone lounging on the couch. She threw a glance over at her father before she made a move toward it. Her brows furrowed when she found Dean's name on the screen, and rushed to answer his call.

"..Dean?"

* * *

"Woah Dean slow down, slow down. What do you mean John's in trouble, did the demon hurt him? Where the hell is he?!" Her entire figure went rigid as she faced the curtained bay window behind the couch. Nothing else, not her father or her surroundings registered, only his words and the fear dripping from his tone.

That was what she hung onto the most.

"Okay h-hold on what?! I thought you said he was with you in **Iowa**! What do you mean he's in Nebraska?!" Her voice was shrill, causing the hairs on Bobby's arms to stand up at attention, pretty much the rest of his body followed suit.

"Meg?! What the f-"

"What's going on?" He questioned gripping the troubled young blonde's attention causing her to spin around in an instant.

"They lied to me!" She peeled the phone away to push the speaker button, all the while trying to process the fact that they'd fed her some bogus story that assured her that they were all safe and together, when really John was off pawning a fake weapon and endangering his life. She was furious.

And hurt.

" _-didn't wanna tell you because we knew you wouldn't go along with it-"_

"Damn right I wouldn't have! Now he's God knows where!" She freaked, eyes wild as random possibilities of what could be going on with John flooded her mind.

 _"Look I'm all outta options right now okay? I think she's bluffing, but I-I don't know, we need help."_ She'd never heard this kind of emotion in Dean's voice before. He was begging, which was very much unlike him.

"...it's not my help you need.." She turned her gaze up to meet her fathers. He seemed torn, and as if he were battling himself.

She fed him a look of desperation, pleading with her father to let go of his pride and offer up the help they so badly needed.

A moment passed before he quietly delivered a head nod.

 _"Angel?!"_ Dean's voice wobbled.

"Get to Sioux Falls. Now." She answered, not uttering another word before hanging up.

She paced the ground whilst working her fingers against the screen of her phone, trying her best to dial John's number as quick as she could.

"Aurora.."

"C'mon John..." she whispered, fear strangling her voice as she shut her eyes, praying to hear his voice on the other end of the call.

"Aurora-"

" **Answer dammit!** " She growled to her phone, never wanting to hear John's voice so badly.

"He won't." Bobby gruffed earning a sigh of defeat from her as she hung up and met his tired gaze.

She continued to breathe, not able to do anything else for the moment.

Something big was going down. Something bad. She could feel as much.

"What do you wanna do?" He asked, knowing they needed a plan.

"Everything we can to get him back. My news can wait."

"Rory-"

" **Dad.** I can't right now okay? John's missing. I gotta help the boys get him back." She stressed, running her hand through her golden tresses. Her father went silent with understanding.

"They'll be here soon, which means so will Meg. We should prep. " She said, gaze dancing along the the desk filled with books and papers all decorated with information about her. She blinked.

"Hide that stuff. It'll have to wait." She instructed with a low voice, not giving Bobby a chance to respond before she exited the room.

He sighed, glancing down at his desk where all the information he'd gathered was strewn across his desk.

"Heaven help me." He prayed aloud, casting his gaze heavenward.

* * *

 **Bobby's**

 **Sioux Falls, South Dakota**

 **October 30th, 2006**

Rory whistled.

"Rumsfield. Leave that alone." She spoke to the aged rottweiler that lay lazily on the hood of an old tow truck, watching him move sluggishly from the piece of lifted, rusted metal on the hood.

She'd never forget the day she brought him home from the pound. They were going to put him down, and impulsively she stepped in. His previous owners had abandoned him, and oddly enough, she felt a connection to him. Her parents had abandoned her, and she was just about to leave home to start hunting with the Winchesters, so in a way, she was abandoning Bobby. He was a gift to him, someone to have around to keep him from going crazy from loneliness.

She could still remember the look on the old mans face when she walked through the door with him in a cardboard box.

She sat comfortably on the front porch allowing the memory to float off to the back of her mind, hand cupped around her third beer of the morning while she leaned back onto her elbows, watching as the Impala turned into the dirt path and drove up to the junkyard. She exhaled, happy that it was them who'd shown up first.

"Phase one." She spoke to herself pushing up from her spot on the step.

Sam was the first out of the car, followed by Dean.

"Hey." He called out from his spot, shutting his door and moving to the trunk.

"Don't hey me. Meet me inside." She bit, still aggravated with the both of them for lying to her.

"Oookay..." Dean frowned.

Rory had been debating with herself ever since she got off the phone with them , how she'd handle the situation when she finally saw them. And though she wished she could be mature about it all, she couldn't help but feel bitterness towards them.

Inside, there were books stacked everywhere. Rory was used to the sight, though she knew others probably thought the maid had been fired. It was untidy and cluttered with papers on every wall, but she always sought comfort from within the walls of their home.

She paused in the hall when she found her father there.

"They're here." She announced lamely. Bobby picked up two round silver flasks with crosses on them just as the boys walked in, and handed one to Dean first. Sam rounded the two and made his way over to Rory who had moved into the library. He sat comfortably behind the cluttered desk, eyeing the large book in front of him that had caught his eye. He glimpsed through the first page, allowing his shoulders to drop as he registered every tiny printed word. He was sure to keep a blank face, knowing Rory was standing at a near distance.

"Here you go."

"What is this – holy water?" Dean grimaced.

"That one is. This is whiskey." Bobby answered, holding up the other flask to take a swig out of it before handing it to Dean. Rory cracked a hint of a smirk.

"Bobby, thanks. Thanks for everything. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure we should come." Dean spoke, nerves in his tone.

"Nonsense. Your Daddy needs help." Bobby spoke, earning a sigh of relief from Rory.

"Well, yeah, but last time we saw you, I mean, you did threaten to blast him full of buckshot. Cocked the shotgun and everything." Dean spoke, causing Rory to go through the memory vividly in her mind.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? John just has that effect on people. Bobby replied.

"Yeah, I guess he does." Dean said.

"I mean, I'm still gonna kick your ass for abandoning my only daughter in a strange town once we deal with this demon, but..." The older man shrugged, earning an eye roll from Rory.

 _Of course he couldn't let go of that grudge,_ she thought to herself.

"None of that matters now. All that matters is that you get him back." He finished, and Rory sighed turning to look over her shoulder to share a look with Sam, only to find him face deep in one of the books on Bobby's desk. She spun her whole body around to face him, causing him to catch the movement and look up to meet her gaze.

The locked in on each other, both feeding each other looks they couldn't ignore.

 _Shit,_ Rory cursed mentally.

Sam, licking his lips, slowly closed the book and shoved it to the side while offering up a soft and understanding look for her.

"Bobby, this book... I've never seen anything like it." He cleared his throat, earning a sigh of relief from the young blonde.

Bobby went over to Sam and sat on the corner of the desk.

"Key of Solomon? It's the real deal, alright." Rory listened to her father speak, mentally cursing him off for not clearing the desk full of information about her like she'd asked him too earlier. She moved towards it, and began picking up whatever she saw, piling them on top of one another before she took them out of the room to hide.

 _"And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?"_ She heard Sam's voice trail off as she moved through the house, up the stairs, towards her bedroom. Her fingers opened the top books first page.

She gazed downwards at the title and read it repeatedly.

 ** _Ariel_**

Sighing, she tossed the book onto her made bed, and shut the door behind her before quickly making her way back downstairs, not wanting to miss anything. Just as she got to the last step, her knee buckled. A wave of nausea passed through her forcing her to pause and bring a hand to her stomach while the other braced itself on the rail.

Normal year, I hear of, say, three demonic possessions. Maybe four, tops.

 _"...The storm's coming, and you boys, your Daddy...Aurora...– you are smack in the middle of it."_

She overheard, her brows knitting together at the center of her forehead. Barking from outside the house caught her attention, and a panic rose in her throat as she rushed into the library to warn the men. She knew the feeling when it hit her.

Demons.

"Dad." She called as she entered the room. Dean's eyes landed on hers with alert.

"Rumsfeld." Bobby spoke, going over to the window just as the dog stopped barking with a whine.

Her gut tightened causing her to yelp.

"What is it?"

" **Guys.** "Aurora warned, moving with caution as she prepared herself for an intrusion.

Bobby kept his gaze out the window and saw the chain hanging broken and their dog nowhere in sight.

"Something's wrong."

At that moment the door was kicked in and in walked none other than Meg. Dean slipped the holy water flask out of his pocket.

"Thought we iced you." Rory spoke dryly.

"Y'know every time I see you, I wanna hurl." Meg spat back with a look of disinterest.

"Funny. I get the same feeling." Rory cut her eyes with disgust.

"No more crap, okay?" Meg spoke, fed up.

Dean struck first, unscrewing the flask, but Meg hit him hard, sending him flying into a stack of books knocking him unconscious.

"Dean!" Rory called out moving towards him.

Sam stepped in front of Bobby, placing himself between him and Meg.

"I want the Colt, Sam – the real Colt – right now." She ordered.

"Dean wake up." Rory whispered as quietly as possible. Dean woke slowly, but surely.

Rory brought a finger to her lips signaling him to be silent and follow her lead.

"C'mon." She urged.

Sam and Bobby slowly moved across the room and Meg followed them with devilish eyes.

"We don't have it on us. We buried it." Sam lied.

"Didn't I say "no more crap"? I swear – after everything I heard about you Winchesters, I got to tell you, I'm a little underwhelmed. First Johnny tries to pawn off a fake gun, and then he leaves the real gun with you two chuckle-heads. Lackluster, men. I mean, did you really think I wouldn't find you?" Meg roared just as Rory and Dean stepped out behind her.

"Actually, we were counting on it." Dean voiced.

Meg turned to look at him. They stared at her and then looked up at the ceiling causing Meg to also look up and find a large protective symbol etched there.

Rory looked back at her with a smirk, satisfied with the surprise pooling around in her eyes.

It wasn't everyday that they got to take a demon by surprise. That was usually always the opposite.

"Gotcha." She quipped.


	47. Devil's Trap Pt II

Aurora raced out back to follow the sounds of whining coming from her dog.

"Rumsfield? Come on pooch where are ya?" She hurried, panic rushing up her throat.

She wouldn't let him die. Not if she could stop it. That dog meant more to her than she let on, and she knew how much he meant to her father. So she would leave Meg for them while she sought to save her pup.

Her mind raced, thinking the worst until she found him laying around the corner of the house, next to a pile of old tires, leaning on them for support. He seemed badly injured and unable to walk.

"Rumsfield!" She ran over to him.

"Hey boy..heyyy.." She cooed, kneeling down to meet his gaze as she worked to scoop him up and bring him inside, away from harm. As heavy as he was, she didn't let that hinder her.

"C'mon, let's fix you up." She groaned under his weight, holding him tight, rushing back indoors as fast as she could.

* * *

She passed Meg who was tied to a chair in the middle of the library room floor where Dean and Sam watched her.

"Dad." She called out for him, moving into the hall away from prying eyes.

 _"You know, if you wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was ask."_

She heard Megs voice from the other room as Bobby met her in the hall.

"He okay?" He asked, voice full of concern as he held a canister of salt.

"He'll be fine. You guys take care of that bitch. I'm gonna work on him." She spoke, looking over Rumsfield for any other injuries he may have had. So far she'd only found a few fractured bones.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Bobby worried.

"I can do it." She reassured with a breath, feeling slightly overwhelmed suddenly. She figured it was because of being within such close quarters with a demon and did her best to push back her ill feelings.

"Go." She urged. Bobby wasted no more time leaving her to do what she could.

 _"I salted the door and windows. If there are any demons out there – they ain't getting in."_

"You're gonna be okay pooch, I'm gonna fix you don't worry.." She caressed him, earning a whine.

"Shhh.." she hushed as calmly as she could, moving her fingers to the first broken rib she could find. She rested her palm over it, hating the way it felt under her skin.

She took a deep breath and exhaled, allowing the familiar energy spread throughout her body, and flow from the tips of her fingers. She could hear the pulsating rhythm of his heart beating under her palms as the energy continued to flow. Rumsfield shifted under her, and a gentle crack could be heard if you listened closely enough, and she had been, cringing when she did.

Rory did her best to concentrate on focusing all of her energy onto the dog, but couldn't help but feel a discomfort in her chest. It started with a sting, one she'd never felt while performing before. She took in a sharp breath, shifting a little before refocusing. She couldn't stop, not yet.

 _Ariel..._

She ripped her hands away from her dog, and fell against the wall behind her near the steps. Her back hit harder than she intended it too, but she couldn't help but throw her weight into it. She felt heavy, the voice echoing in her head, haunting and loud as she fought back the nausea. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment as she tried to rid her vision of dark spots.

 _Ariel..._

"Stop.." She breathed, feeling drained all of a sudden as the voice inside her head grew more intense.

 _Heal..._

 _"You think this is a frigging game? Where is he?! What did you do to him?!"_ She could hear Dean bellow.

"No I have to help..." She forced out, exhaustion leaking from her voice.

 ** _Heal..._**

"I can't.." She shook her head, only causing the dark spots to multiply and cloud her vision as she slumped against the wall, unconscious.

. _..Heal._

* * *

 _She faced the feline with determined eyes. Each time it was easier to face. With every dream, every encounter, she was finding it to be less of a struggle to adapt to the ferociousness and power that was this lion in front of her._

 _"I have to wake up-please-"_

 _"Yes. You do. And soon." I spoke, without even the twitch of a muscle. Rory shut her mouth into a thin line, processing it's words._

 _"How can I hear you? What is all of this? What does this mean?" She questioned, more desperate than ever._

 _"Soon." The feline's golden fiery hues stared intensely back at her. Rory shook her head._

 _"If you can't answer me then why bring me here?!" She flapped her arms up in frustration._

 _"Heal." It answered._

 _"I DON'T NEED HEALING!-"_

 _A roar ripped it's way through the volume of her voice, rendering it a whisper. Rory winced, squeezing her eyes closed as the sound resonated within her, bouncing off every stump in the plain forest, echoing throughout their surroundings. It was bone chilling, core shaking, and fierce, yet magically beautiful all the while, forcing her to succumb to it's power._

* * *

 **"Angel!"**

Her eyes burst open as she gasped for air, sucking in a deep breath as she shot up. Her chest burned with the familiar sting causing her hand to fly up to her chest and her eyes to squint with a look of pain splayed across her face.

"Rory?" Sam spoke, worry pooling in his voice.

"Jesus kid, are you alright?" She heard her father ask as he came into view. She looked to her left, feeling a hold around her, and found Dean there to her surprise, but she allowed the calm he brought her to coax her soul. She did her best to regulate her breathing.

"What happened?" She asked, feeling lost in a gap of space.

"We don't know. I just found you laying here unconscious." Answered her father.

She let her eyes dance around, her gaze settled on the two legs sticking out from around the corner of the kitchen. She knew they belonged to Meg, and wondered-

"What did I miss?" She cringed, feeling the sting begin to fade.


	48. Devil's Trap Pt III

"Dad, I promise I feel fine, I just exhausted myself is all." Aurora did her best to reassure Bobby as they sat on the couch in the library.

He went ahead and told the boys to go on without Rory. Forbidding her to go anywhere until she seemed able. Her color was just now returning to her face, deeming her normal olive tone healthy again. He wasn't sure what to say, or what exactly had happened to her while she tried healing their dog, but he'd be damned if he let her do it again until they figured out exactly what her abilities meant.

"I'm not arguing with you." Bobby answered, set in his decision.

"Yeah, well it's a good thing I'm finally old enough to make my own decisions." She sprouted from the chairs comfort, crossing her arms over her chest and staring intently at her father who matched her expression.

"You have no idea the kind of trouble those boys are in-"

"Actually I know exactly the kind of trouble they're in-"

"And you expect me to just let you join them after finding you passed out less than a few hours ago?" The older man barked, feeling his patience thin.

It was rare that they would ever argue or butt heads this often. It went to show just how serious things were getting. Bobby just couldn't swallow the bad gut feeling he'd been having for a while now. Everyday it was getting worse. He could feel that something terrible was coming, and he wanted to do whatever it was that he could to protect his only child.

"God why are you fighting me on this-this is John, dad! If it were you, those boys would be by my side no questions asked!" Aurora shouted, her voice raising in pitch.

She hated arguing with him.

Bobby said nothing, only sighed once he saw in her eyes that she wasn't letting things go. She was stubborn, just like him.

"Just let me do this. Please. Let me help my friends." Her shoulders slumped as she took a step closer to him to rest a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Bobby frowned, and she took that as his response. Quickly she pulled out her phone and dialled Dean's number.

On the first ring he answered, catching her a little off guard.

"Wh-Where are you guys? Did you get him?" She hurried, rushing out of the library to retrieve the things she needed.

" _Yeah we got him. Look him and Sammy are in pretty bad shape_."

"Sammy? What happened?"

 _"He got beat pretty bad. A demon. He's okay though, they both are._ "

"And you?..."

 _"...I'll be better once you get out here. We're gonna need your help on this one Angel._ " Somehow, him asking was enough to reassure her that she was doing the right thing by going after them.

He still needed her, even after everything.

She nodded as if he could see her.

"Okay, where are you? I'm gonna meet you guys now." She rushed as quickly as she could. To Bobby she was moving like a tornado throughout the halls. He watched her hang up and come to a stop with her duffel over her shoulder and her troubled gaze on him.

"Don't make me regret this kid."

"I'll be back in no time dad. Promise." She smirked and moved for the door.

"I'll call!" She said lastly before the door closed heavily behind her.

Bobby sighed, keeping his gaze there for a moment before it moved to the kitchen where he found limp legs poking from around the corner.

Hed almost forgotten about the excorcism in the midst of all the craziness.

He rolled his eyes once he's realized the mess they'd left him with.

"Balls."

* * *

Rory eyed the wooded suspicious area carefully as she pulled up next the Impala which she spotted parked outside a cabin in the woods.

She paused after removing the keys from the ignition. Her gaze rested on the steering wheel as she contemplated her next move. A feeling rested in the root of her stomach, uneasy and troubling in nature, and she didn't trust it one bit. Taking a deep breath, she said a silent prayer in her head, reached over into the passenger seat for her duffel bag, and exhaled while opening the door and exiting the car.

Inside she was met by Sam, who she found pouring salt along the window sill. Her bag dropped by her feet at the sight of him.

She rushed over and took his face in her hands.

"Sammy, what the hell happened?" She asked, examining the damage. His face was a mess – bruised, bloody, and swollen. He winced, pulling away from her touch, the pain still fresh.

"Sorry."

"It's nothing, it's okay. Just a little scuffle with a demon." He told her with a dry chuckle. Rory fumed, promising to kill every last demon.

"Let me heal you-"

"No. No, I'm fine Rore." He held her hands at arms reach when she went to touch him again, causing her to frown in confusion.

"Sam-"

"Save your energy, you're gonna need it. Trust me. I'll heal eventually." He told her, tone soft as he looked her in her eyes.

Aurora watched him closely for a few more beats until she heard the sound of foot steps behind her. When she spun around, she found Dean entering the room, eyes filled with relief as they landed on her. She let go of a breath she had no idea she was holding when she saw that he was unharmed.

"How is he?" Asked Sam, breaking the silence. Dean cleared his throat and broke out of his trance, tearing his gaze off of the blonde beauty in the room to face his brother. It was only at the mention of John, did Rory remember the weight of their current situation.

"He just needed a little rest, that's all. How are you?" Dean asked.

"I'll survive. Hey, you don't think we were followed here, do you?"

Rory looked at Dean for an answer.

"I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, we couldn't have found a more out-of-the-way place to hole up. You see anything suspicious out there Angel?" He asked, Rory hung onto the use of her nickname before shaking her head.

"No, it was pretty quiet out there from what I could tell."

"No nausea?" Dean questioned, knowing her symptom was a good way to tell if there were ever any signs of a supernatural threat around.

Rory paused for a moment.

"I mean, I feel a little off, but I think that's just the nerves talking on this one." She said, walking back towards the door where she'd dropped her bag.

"I'm uh...gonna go check on John. See if he's okay for myself." She announced, giving them one last look before she left the room, passing Dean on her way out of it.

"Yeah.." She heard Sam answer from behind.

The room was dark, even with the help of the table lamp. And she couldn't ignore the tug in her chest when she entered the room, but chalked it up to be relief at the sight of John in one piece.

He was awake, just waking up it seemed, and he paused when he noticed her at the door. Neither of them said a word for a moment.

"...You came back." He gruffed, earning a crack of a smirk from Rory in return. She took that as her welcome back.

"You know I can't stay away for too long. Besides, figured you could use some help." She chuckled nervously. Her eyes dancing all over the room.

"Thanks. I uh...about what I said before-"

"Don't worry about it. No need for a chick flick moment." She held up her hand in Dean fashion, earning a snort from John as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"Look, you're my family John. You, the boys. I'm always gonna come back. Okay?" She admit. John met her gaze, holding it with a blank stare for a few moments before he offered up a steely expression. Aurora fell into confusion, not sure at all how to register his emotions.

"...Let's go check on the boys." She spoke.

"Alright." She let John lead, and followed close behind while watching his back with suspicion.

As she and John entered the hall, she could hear Dean and Sam speaking, causing her curiosity to grow.

 _"Killing that guy, killing Meg. I didn't hesitate, I didn't even flinch. For you, or Aurora..or Dad, the things I'm willing to do or kill, it's just, uh ... it scares me sometimes."_

It hurt her heart to know that that was what Dean was feeling all that time. She knew that things bothered him but she wasn't sure to what extent until just then when she overheard him talking to Sam. It made her want to be there for him, but she knew it'd be hard given the boundaries they'd set with each other.

They turned the corner and entered the room.

"It shouldn't. You did good." He spoke, announcing his presence.

"You're not mad?" Asked Dean, surprise and shock splayed on his face. Rory had to admit that she was shocked as well. Dean used a bullet from the one weapon they had that could destroy the demon responsible for murdering their mother and Jessica once and for all.

John would be livid.

"For what?" He spoke back.

"Using a bullet." Dean went on to say. Aurora moved from beside John to stand next to Dean, doing her best to swallow the feelings rising in her throat.

"Mad? I'm proud of you. You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you – you watch out for this family. You always have." John voiced.

"Thanks." Dean smirked.

Rory went to say something when the bristling sound of heavy winds suddenly picked up and the lights in the cabin began to flicker. As if sharing one brain, they all moved to the window.

"It found us. It's here." John announced, putting everyone else on high alert.

"Shit." Rory readied herself, moving a hand to her waistline for her trusty pistol.

"The demon?" Sam inquired, the fear evident in his tone.

"Sam, Ariel, lines of salt in front of every window, every door." John instructed briskly.

"I already did it." Sam replied.

"Well, check it, okay?" John returned forcefully, earning a squint from Rory.

 _Something's not right._

"Okay. C'mon Rore." Sam didn't give Rory the chance to respond before leaving the room in a flash. She went to follow, but paused.

That gut feeling, tugging unmercifully at her chest as if it were screaming for her.

"Something's not right.." She whispered under her breath facing the ground.

"Dean, you got the gun?" John asked, and as if that was all that needed to be said, Rory's neck snapped upward along with her arm as it extended, holding her pistol in hand as it moved. She felt her entire body go numb as she slowly removed the safety on her weapon as it aimed at his back.

"Yeah." Dean answered, not at all noticing Rory's movements in the haste to prepare himself for the ultimate attack.

"Give it to me." John ordered.

Aurora's blood ran cold.

'How long had he been possessed? How come it took her so long to figure it out?' Were questions burning in her mind.

 _Where the hell is John?_ , she thought as her hand began to tremble with doubt.

She watched, feeling almost paralyzed in her spot as Dean went to retrieve the colt from his jeans to hand over to John. Rory shook her head, screaming internally for the words to fall from her lips, but they wouldn't.

"D-...Dean." She uttered, too low for anyone to hear in all the chaos.

"Dad, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It disappeared." Dean filled in his father.

"This is me. I won't miss. Now, the gun, hurry." John rushed just as Dean's eyes met with Rory's stunned figure standing behind his father with a gun pointed at his back. Her hand trembling as she aimed. Her head shaking uncontrollably with warning and fear. He had the right mind to ask her if she'd gone completely insane until the moment she fed him the look that she did, as if desperately begging him to believe her. As if her life depended on his next move.

Dean hesitated and looked down at the gun, his heart falling into the pit of his stomach as the realization punched him like a bag full of bricks.

"Son, please." John begged, but both Rory and Dean were able to pick up on the empty tone he used. Dean's eyes flickered between the shell of his father and the love of his life as he chose a side. His feet began to back up a couple of steps away from them both.

"It's-..it's not John Dean.." She managed to say just above a whisper, but she knew he had figured it out just as she did. He must've noticed something off.

"Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?" John argued.

"He'd be furious." Dean said, referring to his real father.

"What?" John replied feeding him a ridiculous look.

"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me, he'd tear me a new one."

"He would've told me I was family." At the sound of her voice he slowly turned to face her. Eyeing down the barrel of her gun with caution.

It all made sense then. The feelings she was experiencing, the odd vibe she'd get around him, the difference in his attitude.

"You slipped." She hissed venomously moving quickly to join Dean's side.

John only fed her a dark glare, one that made her blood turn cold, before turning to look at Dean as he raised the colt, pointed it at him and cocked it.

"You're not my dad."

"Dean, it's me."

"Sammy!" Rory called out for the youngest Winchester.

"I know my Dad better than anyone. And you ain't him." Dean bit with confidence.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" John argued.

"I could ask you the same thing. Stay back." Dean barked.

Sam came running into the room, shocked to see Dean and Rory pointing their guns at John.

"Guys! Dean? What the hell's going on?" He questioned carefully.

"They've lost their mind."

"He's not Dad." Dean told his brother.

"What?" Answered Sam in disbelief, looking to his father.

"I think he's possessed. I think he's been possessed since we rescued him." The anger settled in Deans tone.

"Sam it's true. Somethings different. I can feel it." Rory winced, swallowing the sudden urge to vomit.

"Don't listen to him, Sammy." John pleaded

"Dean, how do you know?"

"Like Angel said he's ... he's different. And you know her feelings, she's never wrong." Said Dean, fighting back tears. Sam looked on to Rory, catching the desperation in her eye.

"You know, we don't have time for this. Sam, you wanna kill this demon, you've gotta trust me."

"Sam **don't**!" She yelled, not able to help feeling stupid for not noticing things sooner.

Sam looked back and forth between his father, Rory and his brother. Dean glanced at him, but didn't bother saying anything else to convince him.

"No. No." He answered, moving to stand next to Dean's side.

The hurt spread throughout John's features as he looked at them.

"Fine. You're both so sure, go ahead. Kill me." He spoke.

Aurora sucked in a deep breath, not having thought that far ahead.

They had the demon, right where they've always wanted it. She was sure of it.

But she never thought about this being the outcome, of John being it's vessel. She payed close attention to him, reading his every movement as he looked downwards and waited.

"Dean wait." She spoke.

They couldn't. They couldn't kill John, at least not Sam or Dean. She wouldn't let them, becase if they killed John and destroyed this demon, they'd ultimately be destroying themselves in the process.

If it was what had to be done, if it was going to be anyone's burden or regret..it was going to be hers.

"I'll do it. Give it to me." She voiced, her tone low and weak as the tear raced down her cheek. She quickly reached up and took the gun from out of Dean's grip, and handed him her pistol.

The boys turned shocked looks onto her. Dean's hand shook as he continued to hold the gun on him, knowing it wouldn't have any affect on the demon.

John slowly turned his gaze onto her, brow tipped up with a hidden taunting expression in his eyes, one he knew only she would see as he waited for her to make a move. Rory clenched her jaw, tightening her grip on her pistol.

 _DO IT AURORA!, she screamed internally._

"I thought so." He smirked, casting his gaze to the ground before blinking and looking back up only to reveal his golden yellow eyes.

Rory froze, a breath expelling from her chest as she looked on in shock while Sam and Dean lunged to attack, but were thrown up against the wall, pinned there by some invisible force brought on by John himself, leaving Rory to look on in terror. She heard her pistol drop to the floor from Dean's hand, and wished to God that she could move, but she was paralyzed by her fear. Nonetheless, she held her arm up, keeping the colt trained on him, knowing better than to grow weak in the face of danger.

This is what she was trained for.

"Immune o my charms huh? Give it here." He smirked, causing her skin to crawl as he took a step towards her.

"Go to hell." She spat.

"Rory!" Dean cried out for her, the pain laced in his voice. John continued to advance on her, slowly and daringly, looking her over as if she were some kind of specimen he'd never seen before. He tipped his head over as he came to a stop just a few inches away from the gun.

"Brave. I like that in a girl." He said. Rory did her best to control the urge to consciousness, and stood her ground.

"But I guess you're no ordinary girl huh?" She tensed at his words, watching him intently, waiting for him to say more.

But he didn't. He only stretched an arm out, causing the pistol on the ground near Dean to miraculously pulling it right into the palm of his hand. Rory froze as she stared down the barrel of her own gun. John gavea maniacal smile, moving his aim to her chest, right by her heart. She exhaled and blinked slowly, knowing there was a good chance this would be her last day on earth.

 _There are worse ways to go,_ she thought.

"Rory no! Aurora!"

"Give him the gun Rore!" She did her best to ignore the boys protests.

"Think you can heal a bullet wound to the heart?" He spoke whilst she continued to glower.

"I'm not afraid of you."

It sounded like a firework going off right next to her, the sound ripping through the silence as it resounded off the walls, knocking her right off of her feet as she fell backward, flat onto her back.

 _"ANGEL! NO! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"_

 _"AURORA!"_

It didn't register right away-their voices, the pain. They'd drowned out, but she felt the pressure the moment the bullet made contact with her chest. It tore through her white cotton shirt, and pierced right through the skin, breaking and damaging her internally.

She had no choice but to welcome the agony that followed.

Sucking in a deep breath she cried out.

She wasn't sure when she'd let go, but she couldn't feel the colt in her hand anymore, instead it held her chest, trying its best to patch the wound so that she didn't lose too much blood. It didn't hit her heart, at least she didn't think it did, but she could hear it, hammering in her chest as the panic rose to her throat, practically strangling her whilst the blood began to choke her.

 _"RORY!"_

 _"I'M GONNA KILL YOU YOU HEAR ME?!"_

 _Why didn't he kill me?_ Her eyes darted around the ceiling, not able to see anything else, until he came into view. Peering down at her, he smirk.

"Not so fast. I need an audience." John said as if he'd read her mind, holding the colt in his hand like a prized possession.

"What a pain in the ass this thing's been." He spoke.

"Angel can you hear me? Just hang on okay? Hang on don't you die!" She heard Dean, causing her to look to her right in the direction she'd heard his voice coming from. The tears left her eyes quietly.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam roared.

Rory wasn't in as much pain as she'd anticipated, but it still hurt like hell. It was comparable to a white hot sting, unwavering and unbearable, but somehow, not as bad as she thought it would've been.

"Well, this is fun. I could've killed you a hundred times today, could've killed you're..little angel two minutes ago too, but this...this is worth the wait." She heard the demon sigh with content, feeling sick to her stomach. Her vision was growing tunneled, and she could feel herself weakening.

"Your Dad – he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says "hi", by the way. He's gonna tear you apart. He's gonna taste the iron in your blood."

"Rore...Rory listen to me you gotta stay with us okay? We're gonna get outta this just, stay awake. Stay awake Rore." Sam begged for her, the tears sliding down his battered cheeks.

Rory heard him. It was faint, but she heard every word, and she held onto to every word with as much faith as she could muster up, until Dean suddenly started yelling in pain. She jumped in fright, eyes wide with fear for him as he continued to cry out and beg for John to stop.

She wasn't sure what was happening then, but the pain had suddenly subsided.

 _Ariel.._

 _No._

"Aurora!"

She heard as the stars began to cloud her vision. She knew she was dying, but she couldn't leave.

Not yet.

"Stop." She heard John, her eyes growing heavy just as Dean hit the ground in a slump. He lay on his side, blood leaking heavily from his chest and mouth. Rory fought to speak, but couldn't find the strength. They could only lock eyes on one another, and it pained them both to watch each other be so violently ended. It wasn't at all what they saw for themselves, or for one another. They never got to say the things they wanted-needed to say, they never got to resolve their issues.

And it was too late to try.

That knowledge alone was worse than any death they could've endured.

"Angel-...listen to me..stay with me okay?...urgh-...stay with me.." Dean forced with all the strength he had left while Aurora's vision darkened completely.

 _ **This** is the worst way to go._

" _Ariel don't-.._ " She heard Dean choke, his voice sounding more far away then before.

 ** _Ariel.._**

The voice was overpowering, like a magnetic force pulling her inwards.

Her lids fluttered shut as the consciousness left her.

* * *

 **OKAY! That wraps up season 1 YAYYY! :)**

 **So without further ado, I would like to announce that there will be a sequel. It will obviously be following season 2 of Supernatural. Whether you follow along or not is totally up to you, though I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for supporting this story and me as we went along. It was fun to start, and I feel like the ride with this story will be amazing!**

 **Every follow, every favorite! THANK YOU!**

 **TELL ME EVERYTHING, ALL YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR WISHES, WHAT YOU WOULD'VE LIKED TO SEE!**

 **I WANNA HEAR IT ALL.**

 **Keep an eye out for the sequel which should be up sometime today! The story will be called "Hear Me"**


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